Garry Richards

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Garry Richards

| image = GarryRichards.jpg

| image_size = 200

| caption = Richards training with Gillingham in 2011.

| fullname = Garry Richards{{Hugman|25095|accessdate=2 January 2018}}

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=3}}{{Cite web |title=Player Profiles |url=http://www.lutontown.co.uk/team/player-profile/index.aspx?playerid=298668&tcmuri=194490 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919132532/http://www.lutontown.co.uk/team/player-profile/index.aspx?playerid=298668&tcmuri=194490 |archive-date=19 September 2012 |access-date=24 July 2019}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1986|6|11}}

| birth_place = Romford, England

| position = Central defender

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2004

| youthclubs1 = Colchester United

| years1 = 2004–2007

| years2 = 2005

| years3 = 2007

| years4 = 2007–2008

| years5 = 2008–2012

| years6 = 2012–2013

| clubs1 = Colchester United

| clubs2 = → Gravesend & Northfleet (loan)

| clubs3 = → Brentford (loan)

| clubs4 = Southend United

| clubs5 = Gillingham

| clubs6 = Luton Town

| caps1 = 20

| goals1 = 1

| caps2 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| caps3 = 10

| goals3 = 1

| caps4 = 10

| goals4 = 0

| caps5 = 107

| goals5 = 4

| caps6 = 0

| goals6 = 0

| totalcaps = 147

| totalgoals = 6

}}

Garry Richards (born 11 June 1986) is an English retired professional footballer who made over 100 appearances as a central defender in the Football League for Gillingham. He also played for Colchester United, Southend United and Brentford.

Career

= Colchester United =

A product of the youth system at Colchester United, Richards won his maiden call into the first team squad for a League One match versus Hartlepool United on 30 August 2004.{{Cite web |title=Garry Richards Player Profile |url=http://www.espnfc.com/player/43503/garry-richards?season=2004 |access-date=2 January 2018 |website=ESPN FC}} He remained an unused substitute during the 2–1 defeat and had to wait until 3 September 2005 to make his debut, which came with a start in a 0–0 draw with Bristol City. He made 19 appearances during the 2005–06 season and helped the Us to automatic promotion to the Championship.{{Cite web |title=Colchester United Complete History |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/colchester-united/history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065001/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/colchester-united/history |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=3 January 2018 |website=Statto.com}} Despite scoring his first goal for the club with the only goal of the game versus Preston North End on 30 January 2007, Richards was largely out of favour during the 2006–07 season and spent two months away on loan.{{Soccerbase|id=38763}} Richards departed Layer Road in August 2007, after making 24 appearances and scoring one goal for the club.

==Gravesend & Northfleet (loan) ==

On 29 January 2005, Richards joined Conference Premier club Gravesend & Northfleet on a one-month loan. He failed to make an appearance before his loan expired.

==Brentford (loan) ==

On 9 February 2007, Richards joined League One strugglers Brentford on a one-month loan,{{Cite web |title=Bees Sign Defender |url=http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~978399,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212205016/http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~978399,00.html |archive-date=12 February 2018 |access-date=8 April 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}} which was later extended until the end of the 2006–07 season.{{Cite web |title=Richards Extends Loan |url=http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~993137,00.html |access-date=8 April 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Fitz Tells Of Loan Signing |url=http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~1007126,00.html |access-date=8 April 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}} He made 10 appearances and scored one goal, which came with the opener in a 2–2 draw with Oldham Athletic on 25 March, before his spell came to an end due to a pelvic injury suffered during a match versus Cheltenham Town on 7 April.{{Cite web |title=Player Update |url=http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~1009646,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408210221/http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~1009646,00.html |archive-date=8 April 2018 |access-date=8 April 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}}

= Southend United =

Richards joined League One club Southend United on a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee on 4 August 2007.{{Cite news |date=4 August 2007 |title=Southend sign Richards from U's |publisher=BBC Sport |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southend_utd/6931328.stm |access-date=4 August 2007}} After making just 14 appearances during the first half of the 2007–08 season, Richards departed Roots Hall on 25 January 2008.{{Cite web |date=25 January 2008 |title=Exclusive: Richards Becomes Latest Player To Sign |url=http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/PressReleases/0,,10416~1224616,00.html |access-date=3 January 2018}}

= Gillingham =

On 25 January 2008, Richards joined League One strugglers Gillingham on a {{frac|2|1|2}}-year contract for an undisclosed fee. At the end of the 2008–09 season, he was part of the team which secured promotion back to League One with victory in the 2009 League Two play-off final. Despite suffering ankle ligament damage and a broken toe in April 2010,{{Cite news |date=14 April 2010 |title=Gills suffer Richards injury blow |language=en-GB |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/8619766.stm |access-date=3 January 2018}} Richards signed a new two-year contract in July 2010,{{Cite news |date=1 July 2010 |title=Richards pens new Gillingham deal |language=en-GB |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/8780670.stm |access-date=3 January 2018}} but his Gillingham career was ultimately ended by a fractured fibula suffered during a 3–1 victory over Barnet on 6 March 2012.{{Cite news |date=7 March 2012 |title=Garry Richards breaks leg in Gillingham win over Barnet |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/17283054 |access-date=3 January 2018}} Richards was released in May 2012 and made 122 appearances and scored six goals during {{frac|4|1|2}} seasons at Priestfield.{{Cite news |date=21 May 2012 |title=Gillingham release Simon King, Jo Kuffour & Garry Richards |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18144358 |access-date=3 January 2018}}

= Luton Town =

On 25 June 2012, Richards dropped into non-League football to join Conference Premier club Luton Town on a two-year contract.{{Cite web |date=25 June 2012 |title=Signing #5 Welcome Garry Richards |url=http://world.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~2821952,00.html |access-date=3 January 2018}} Richards' time at Kenilworth Road was beset by injury and despite multiple operations and extensive periods of rehabilitation on an injured ankle, he failed to win a call into a squad before his contract was mutually terminated on 14 October 2013.{{Cite news |title=Richards Leaves Hatters |language=en-gb |url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2013/october/richards-leaves-hatters/ |access-date=3 January 2018}} Richards' departure signalled his retirement from football.{{Cite web |title=Retiring Hatters defender Richards expresses his gratitude |url=https://www.dunstabletoday.co.uk/sport/football/hatters/retiring-hatters-defender-richards-expresses-his-gratitude-1-5635849 |access-date=3 January 2018 |website=www.dunstabletoday.co.uk |language=en}}

Honours

Colchester United

Football League One second-place promotion: 2005–06{{Soccerbase season|id=38763|season=2005|accessdate=2 January 2018}}

Gillingham

Football League Two play-offs: 2009{{Soccerbase season|id=38763|season=2008|accessdate=2 January 2018}}

Career statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" \|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ! rowspan="2" \|Club ! rowspan="2" \|Season ! colspan="3" \|League ! colspan="2" \|FA Cup ! colspan="2" \|League Cup ! colspan="2" \|Other ! colspan="2" \|Total
Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals
rowspan="4" \|Colchester United \|2004–05{{Soccerbase season\|id=38763\|season=2004\|accessdate=2 January 2018}} \| rowspan="2" \|League One \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0
2005–06 \|15 \|0 \|1 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|3Appearances in Football League Trophy \|0 \|19 \|0
2006–07{{Soccerbase season\|id=38763\|season=2006\|accessdate=2 January 2018}} \|Championship \|5 \|1 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|5 \|1
colspan="2" \|Total !20 !1 !1 !0 !0 !0 !3 !0 !24 !1
Gravesend & Northfleet (loan) \|2004–05 \|Conference Premier \|0 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|0 \|0
Brentford (loan) \|2006–07 \|League One \|10 \|1 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|10 \|1
Southend United \|2007–08{{Soccerbase season\|id=38763\|season=2007\|accessdate=2 January 2018}} \|League One \|10 \|0 \|1 \|0 \|2 \|0 \|1 \|0 \|14 \|0
rowspan="6" \|Gillingham \|2007–08 \|League One \|14 \|1 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|14 \|1
2008–09 \|League Two \|36 \|2 \|3 \|0 \|1 \|0 \|43 appearances in League Two play-offs, 1 appearance in Football League Trophy \|0 \|44 \|2
2009–10{{Soccerbase season\|id=38763\|season=2009\|accessdate=2 January 2018}} \|League One \|16 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|1 \|0 \|2 \|0 \|19 \|0
2010–11{{Soccerbase season\|id=38763\|season=2010\|accessdate=2 January 2018}} \| rowspan="2" \|League Two \|17 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|17 \|0
2011–12{{Soccerbase season\|id=38763\|season=2011\|accessdate=2 January 2018}} \|24 \|1 \|3 \|1 \|0 \|0 \|1 \|1 \|28 \|3
colspan="2" \|Total !107 !4 !6 !1 !2 !0 !7 !1 !122 !6
colspan="3" \|Career total !147 !6 !8 !1 !4 !0 !11 !1 !170 !8

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

! rowspan="2" |Club

! rowspan="2" |Season

! colspan="3" |League

! colspan="2" |FA Cup

! colspan="2" |League Cup

! colspan="2" |Other

! colspan="2" |Total

Division

!Apps

!Goals