Dave Richards (footballer, born 1993)
{{short description|Welsh footballer}}
{{Other people|David Richards}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Dave Richards
| image = Dave Richards.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Richards while at Crewe Alexandra in 2022
| fullname = David Matthew Richards{{cite web|title=Retained List 2016-17|url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-released-and-retained-list---2016-17.pdf|publisher=English Football League|access-date=16 January 2018}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|12|31|df=y}}
| birth_place = Abergavenny, Wales
| height = {{height|m=1.89}}
| position = Goalkeeper
| currentclub = Dundee United
| clubnumber = 25
| youthyears1 = 2010–2012
| youthclubs1 = Cardiff City
| years1 = 2012–2014
| clubs1 = Cardiff City
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2012
| clubs2 = → Llanelli (loan)
| caps2 = 5
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2013
| clubs3 = → Chippenham Town (loan)
| caps3 = 2
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2013–2014
| clubs4 = → Bristol City (loan)
| caps4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2014–2015
| clubs5 = Bristol City
| caps5 = 0
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2015–2024
| clubs6 = Crewe Alexandra
| caps6 = 73
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2023–2024
| clubs7 = → St Johnstone (loan)
| caps7 = 0
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2024–
| clubs8 = Dundee United
| caps8 = 0
| goals8 = 0
| club-update = 18:09, 7 June 2024 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update =
}}
David Matthew Richards (born 31 December 1993) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for {{Scottish football updater|DundeeUn}} club Dundee United.
Club career
File:Richards, Dave.jpg's development team in 2014]]
=Cardiff City=
Richards started his career with Cardiff City spending time out on loan to Llanelli in 2012{{cite web |url=https://soccerelitefa.com/ellis-iandolo-signs-for-swindon/ |title=Dave Richards: 2012/2013 Biography & Statistics |publisher=Welsh Premier |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111935/https://soccerelitefa.com/ellis-iandolo-signs-for-swindon/ |archive-date=4 March 2016 |df=dmy |access-date=2 October 2017 }} and with Chippenham Town in 2013.{{cite news |title=Bluebirds sign Cardiff keeper on loan|url=http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/ctfc/10259392.CHIPPENHAM_TOWN__Bluebirds_sign_Cardiff_keeper_on_loan/?ref=arc|work=Gazette & Herald|publisher=Gazette & Herald|date=28 February 2013 |access-date=2 October 2017}} In October 2013, Richards joined Bristol City on a loan deal which was made permanent in January 2014.{{cite news |title=Bristol City sign Cardiff City goalkeeper |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/24672317 |work=BBC Football |publisher=BBC Football |date=25 October 2013 |access-date=2 October 2017}}
=Bristol City=
Richards spent the majority of his career at City on the bench. During this time Bristol City won League One and Richards received a winners medal as an unused substitute as City beat Walsall to win the Football League Trophy.{{cite news |title=Crewe sign ex-Bristol City goalkeeper |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33689814 |work=BBC Football |publisher=BBC Football |date=28 July 2015 |access-date=2 October 2017}}
=Crewe Alexandra=
In July 2015, after his release from Bristol City, Richards signed for Crewe Alexandra. Richard spent two years acting as understudy for Ben Garratt before making his senior debut in English football in September 2017 as Crewe lost 1–0 at Coventry City.{{cite news |title=Coventry City 1–0 Crewe Alexandra |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41370055 |work=BBC Football |publisher=BBC Football |date=30 September 2017 |access-date=2 October 2017}}
In April 2017, Richards signed an extended Crewe Alexandra contract until at least 2019, with a year option.{{cite news|title=Contract: Dave Richards Signs Extended Crewe Deal|url=https://www.crewealex.net/news/2018/april/contract-dave-richards-signs-extended-crewe-deal/|access-date=13 April 2018|work=CreweAlex.net|date=11 April 2018}} That year option was automatically exercised by Crewe at the end of the 2018–19 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48187715|title=Crewe Alexandra: Nicky Hunt signs new deal, but George Ray rejects contract offer|date=7 May 2019|access-date=9 May 2019|publisher=BBC Sport}} On 13 August 2019, Richards saved a vital penalty at Middlesbrough as Crewe beat the Championship side 4–2 on penalties after a 2–2 draw, earning the Cheshire side an EFL Cup second round home tie against Premier League side Aston Villa.{{cite news |title=Middlesbrough 2-2 Crewe Alexandra |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49245426 |access-date=15 August 2019 |work=BBC Sport |date=13 August 2019}} He also saved a penalty in his first league start of the season, at Grimsby Town on 7 September 2019, helping Crewe to a 2–0 win.{{cite news |title=Grimsby Town 0-2 Crewe Alexandra |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49533195 |access-date=7 September 2019 |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=7 September 2019}}
Richards was offered a new contract in June 2020,{{cite news |last1=Morse |first1=Peter |title=Paul Green and Nicky Hunt released as Crewe Alex announce retained list |url=https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/sport/football/paul-green-nicky-hunt-released-18395931 |access-date=11 June 2020 |work=Cheshire Live |date=10 June 2020}} and agreed a two-year deal.{{cite web |title=Contract Extensions Update |url=https://www.crewealex.net/news/2020/june/contract-extensions-update/ |website=Crewe Alexandra F.C. |access-date=16 June 2020}}
He signed a new deal in May 2022,{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title=Luke Murphy among eight players released as Crewe Alex issue retained list |url=https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/crewe-alex-retained-list-players-23865641 |access-date=27 July 2022 |work=Cheshire Live |date=4 May 2022}} but missed Crewe's opening games of the following season due to a finger injury and resulting operation,{{cite news |title=Dave Richards To Undergo Surgery On Finger Injury |url=https://www.crewealex.net/news/2022/august/dave-richards-to-undergo-surgery-on-finger-injury/ |access-date=2 August 2022 |work=CreweAlex.net |date=1 August 2022}} being replaced by Arsenal loanee keeper Arthur Okonkwo as Crewe won their first two games.{{cite news |title=Rochdale 1-2 Crewe Alexandra |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62275052 |access-date=30 July 2022 |work=BBC Sport |date=30 July 2022}}{{cite news |title=Crewe Alexandra 3-0 Harrogate Town |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62357776 |access-date=7 August 2022 |work=BBC Sport |date=6 August 2022}} Okonkwo made 26 appearances and kept ten clean sheets for Crewe before he was recalled by Arsenal in mid-January, with Richards making his first league appearance of the season in a 1–1 draw at Mansfield Town on 14 January 2023.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title=Arthur Okonkwo message to Crewe Alex as he leaves for Austria |url=https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/okonkwo-arsenal-sturm-graz-crewe-25986600 |access-date=16 January 2023 |work=Cheshire Live |date=16 January 2023}} He played in a further eight league games, but was replaced for spells by on-loan Brighton keeper James Beadle and then, for the final four games of the season, by Crewe Academy graduate Tom Booth. Richards was made available for transfer by Crewe at the end of the season.{{cite news |title=Crewe Alexandra Retained List 2023 | url=https://www.crewealex.net/news/2023/may/retained-list-2023--crewe-alexandra/ |access-date=16 May 2023 |work=CreweAlex.com |date=15 May 2023}}
== St Johnstone (loan) ==
On 11 August 2023, Richards joined Scottish Premiership club St Johnstone on a season-long loan,{{Cite web |title=Dave Richards Joins On A Season-Long Loan |url=https://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/ |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=St Johnstone Football Club |language=en}} but made no first-team appearances.
=Dundee United=
On 7 June 2024, Richards joined Scottish Premiership club Dundee United on a two-year deal."[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/dundee-united United add keeper Richards on two-year deal]", BBC Sport, 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 23 July 2024}}
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.crewealex.net/teams/first-team/goalkeeper/dave-richards/ Dave Richards profile on the Crewe Alexandra F.C. website]
{{Dundee United F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, Dave}}
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen
Category:Men's association football goalkeepers
Category:Cardiff City F.C. players
Category:Bristol City F.C. players
Category:Crewe Alexandra F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Scottish Professional Football League players
Category:St Johnstone F.C. players
Category:Sportspeople from Abergavenny