Born Stourbridge 4 October 1968

Richard came to Exeter City as a youth player in 1985. After failing to win a professional contract he was playing for Halesowen Town by 1988 and Cheltenham Town by 1990. Richard then moved to Stourport Swifts where he scored more than fifty goals in just over sixty games. 

Richard’s form attracted the interest of Torquay United for whom he signed in March 1993. He was at Plainmoor until 1997 making 125 appearances and scoring 25 goals. Afterwards he played for Taunton Town, Bideford and Dawlish Town.

By this time Richard had married Debbie, daughter of Torquay chairman and owner Mike Bateson. He continued to live in South Devon and eventually returned to Plainmoor to help with the youth team. He played once more for the first team as a substitute in a 4–1 defeat at Rochdale in September 2005. Soon afterwards Richard became assistant manager before leaving the club again in 2006.

A further spell in local non-league football followed before Richard returned to Plainmoor to assist new manager Luboš Kubík in the wake of Mike Bateson's sale of the club. After finally leaving Torquay in 2007 Richard did some youth coaching with Plymouth Argyle before later opening an indoor football centre in Newton Abbot.  

Richard and Debbie’s son Will made half-a-dozen first-team appearances for Torquay United between 2015 and 2017. Will, along with his brother Sam, was playing for Newton Abbot Spurs in 2022/23.