Gary Richards (footballer)

Richards began his career with hometown club Swansea City, turning professional in August 1981. He made his first team debut at the end of the 1981–82 season in Swansea's 3–0 defeat at Aston Villa. This was Villa's last league match before winning the European Cup. He would appear 15 times the following season as Swansea suffered relegation from the First Division and would also feature in Swansea's 1983 Welsh Cup final success when the Swans defeated Wrexham 4–1. Richards was a regular the following season, appearing 34 times, but Swansea slipped to a second successive relegation. He reached only 16 appearances in the 1984–85 season, departing Swansea at the end of the season for a spell in Sweden with Jönköpings Södra IF.

Returning to the Football League, Richards linked up with Lincoln City, making his debut in the 1–1 home draw with Bristol City on 6 November 1985. Following the sacking of Lincoln's manager John Pickering in December, Richards found himself out of favour with the new manager George Kerr and moved on to Cambridge United.

In July 1986 he moved on to Torquay United where a serious injury caused the end of his professional career. He moved into the non-league ranks and played for Newport County in their ill-fated 1988–89 season before enjoying spells with Llanelli, Saltash United, Forest Green Rovers, Barry Town and Haverfordwest County.

He resides in Swansea where up until August 2011 had been employed as a postman, deciding to take a sabbatical from Royal Mail to take up an offer of a full-time coaching role with Swansea City FC as Lead Coach of the Youth Development Phase, which he still holds.[1][2] He has been involved with youth football coaching for a number of years, particularly with the Swansea City Bravehearts, a football club for children with disabilities. Richards has been involved with the club from its beginning in 2000 and is Head Coach and Chairperson. He also had the opportunity to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace to receive the Queens Award for Voluntary Services.[3] In 2003, he was awarded City of Swansea Coach of the Year for his work with the Bravehearts. In 2003–04 season Richards joined Swansea City Centre of Excellence as a part-time coach responsible for the Under 16 side.[4]

He eventually joined the Swans Academy in 2013, initially with the under-18s and then as joint lead-coach of the under-23s with Gary Richards in 2015.

As of 2015, Richards became the co-manager of Swansea City under-23s with Cameron Toshack. Swansea announced that Richards had left the club on 17 December 2019, to reunite with Toshack at Cypriot club Pafos FC.[5]

• Lincoln City F.C. official profile