Richard Forsyth
Encyclopedia
Richard Forsyth is an English
footballer who played as a midfielder
. He made nearly 250 appearances in the Football League
playing for Birmingham City
, Stoke City
, Blackpool
, Peterborough United
and Cheltenham Town
.
, now in the West Midlands county
. He began his football career with Stourbridge
before joining Kidderminster Harriers
in 1987. In eight years with the club he played more than 300 games in all competitions, scoring 71 goals, and was part of the team which won the Conference
title in 1993–94, and was leading league scorer for the 1994–95 with 13 goals, before moving to Birmingham City
for a fee of £100,000.
A year later he moved on to Stoke City
for a £200,000 fee, where he scored the first League goal in Stoke's new Britannia Stadium
, went on to spend three seasons with the club playing more than 100 games in all competitions. His next move was to Blackpool
on a free transfer in 1999, and then to Peterborough United
, also on a free, where he linked up again with former Birmingham manager Barry Fry
. In October 2002, amid financial uncertainty at Peterborough, Forsyth joined Cheltenham Town
on a month's loan; on his return to Peterborough, the club expected him to remain with them, but, claiming the player had been "unsettled" by Cheltenham's offer of a longer permanent contract, finally allowed him to join Cheltenham for a fee of £15,000. In January 2003 he sustained a hamstring injury which put paid to the remainder of his season. Released at the end of the 2003–2004 season, Forsyth joined Northwich Victoria
on non-contract terms, but within weeks he suffered cruciate ligament
damage which would keep him out for the season.
He has since played for Stoke City's Masters team, and for Wolverhampton Casuals
and Shawbury United
of the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division.
After his career in football, he started teaching physical education at NEW Academy
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who played as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He made nearly 250 appearances in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing for Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
and Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham Town F.C.
Cheltenham Town Football Club is an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Founded in 1887, the team has played at four different grounds, namely Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Carter's Field and now the Abbey Business Stadium, although it is more...
.
Playing career
Forsyth was born in DudleyDudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, now in the West Midlands county
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
. He began his football career with Stourbridge
Stourbridge F.C.
Stourbridge Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Stourbridge, West Midlands. The club currently plays in the Southern League Premier Division.-Early years:The club was founded in 1876 and was originally known as Stourbridge Standard...
before joining Kidderminster Harriers
Kidderminster Harriers F.C.
Kidderminster Harriers F.C. are an English football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire formed in 1886 They currently play in the Conference National and have played at Aggborough Stadium since they were formed...
in 1987. In eight years with the club he played more than 300 games in all competitions, scoring 71 goals, and was part of the team which won the Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
title in 1993–94, and was leading league scorer for the 1994–95 with 13 goals, before moving to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
for a fee of £100,000.
A year later he moved on to Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
for a £200,000 fee, where he scored the first League goal in Stoke's new Britannia Stadium
Britannia Stadium
The Britannia Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, England and the home of Premier League club Stoke City Football Club. With space for 27,598 spectators . The name is taken from the sponsors of the Stadium the Britannia Co-operative Bank...
, went on to spend three seasons with the club playing more than 100 games in all competitions. His next move was to Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
on a free transfer in 1999, and then to Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
, also on a free, where he linked up again with former Birmingham manager Barry Fry
Barry Fry
Barry Francis Fry is an English football manager. A former Manchester United apprentice as a winger, his playing career involved brief spells with Bolton Wanderers, Luton Town and Leyton Orient, before he retired prematurely due to injury.He has managed Dunstable Town, Bedford Town, Maidstone...
. In October 2002, amid financial uncertainty at Peterborough, Forsyth joined Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham Town F.C.
Cheltenham Town Football Club is an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Founded in 1887, the team has played at four different grounds, namely Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Carter's Field and now the Abbey Business Stadium, although it is more...
on a month's loan; on his return to Peterborough, the club expected him to remain with them, but, claiming the player had been "unsettled" by Cheltenham's offer of a longer permanent contract, finally allowed him to join Cheltenham for a fee of £15,000. In January 2003 he sustained a hamstring injury which put paid to the remainder of his season. Released at the end of the 2003–2004 season, Forsyth joined Northwich Victoria
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
on non-contract terms, but within weeks he suffered cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...
damage which would keep him out for the season.
He has since played for Stoke City's Masters team, and for Wolverhampton Casuals
Wolverhampton Casuals F.C.
Wolverhampton Casuals F.C. are a football club based in Wolverhampton, England. They were established in 1899. They have played in the West Midlands League since 1982, and in the 1989-90 season they reached the 1st round of the FA Vase. For the 2011-12 season, they are members of the West Midlands...
and Shawbury United
Shawbury United F.C.
Shawbury United F.C. are a football club originally from Shawbury, near Shrewsbury, in Shropshire, but currently based in Wem, Shropshire, England. They were established in 1992. For the 2011-12 season, they are members of the West Midlands League Premier Division.-History:Shawbury United are one...
of the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division.
After his career in football, he started teaching physical education at NEW Academy
External links
- Player profile at UK A–Z Transfers