Stan Richards (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Stanley Verdun "Stan" Richards (21 January 1917 – 19 April 1987) was a Welsh
professional footballer and Wales
international.
before joining his hometown team in 1946. He made his professional debut on the opening day of the season at the age of 29, scoring Cardiff's goal during a 2-1 defeat to Norwich City
, and went on to score thirty league goals which was a club record for 56 years before it was broken by Robert Earnshaw
in the 2002-03 season. It was during his time at Cardiff that he won his only cap for Wales
in a match against England
on 13 November 1946 in the 1947 British Home Championship
. The following season he suffered a spate of injuries which restricted his appearances and, despite scoring 40 times in just 57 games, he was allowed to re-join former manager Billy McCandless
at Swansea Town
.
Even though he was still hampered by the knee injury he was an instrumental part in helping the club win the Third Division South in 1948-49.
For the 1951–52 season, Richards signed for Barry Town
, then playing in the Southern League
and managed by Bill Jones, who later managed Cardiff City
. He helped the club reach the 1st Round Proper of the FA Cup
and was top goal scorer with 40 goals, many scored with an uncannily accurate header.
Richards opened 1952–53 with a hat-trick, the first of four that season, and scored seventeen goals in the first ten games. He was again Barry’s top scorer with 35 goals and top scored the following season with 32 goals in 1953–54.
Richards scored in the 3–1 defeat of Wrexham in the 1955 semi-final of the Welsh Cup
, but was injured for final against Chester City
at the Racecourse Ground
and the replay at Ninian Park
, thus missing Barry’s biggest triumph of the 1950s when they won the Welsh Cup
for the first time, 4–3.
In October 1955, Stan left Barry Town for Haverfordwest County.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
professional footballer and Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
international.
Career
Although he was born in Cardiff, Stan Richards began his career playing amateur football in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
before joining his hometown team in 1946. He made his professional debut on the opening day of the season at the age of 29, scoring Cardiff's goal during a 2-1 defeat to Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
, and went on to score thirty league goals which was a club record for 56 years before it was broken by Robert Earnshaw
Robert Earnshaw
Robert Earnshaw is a Welsh footballer who plays for Cardiff City and Wales. He is the only player to have scored a hat-trick in the English Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two , the League Cup, the FA Cup and for his country at International level.Earnshaw was born in Mufulira,...
in the 2002-03 season. It was during his time at Cardiff that he won his only cap for Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
in a match against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
on 13 November 1946 in the 1947 British Home Championship
1947 British Home Championship
The 1947 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1946–47 seasons, the first professional football seasons in Britain since the end of the Second World War...
. The following season he suffered a spate of injuries which restricted his appearances and, despite scoring 40 times in just 57 games, he was allowed to re-join former manager Billy McCandless
Billy McCandless
William "Billy" McCandless was an Irish international football player and manager. As a player McCandless normally played at left-back, most notably at Rangers where he won 8 league titles with the side...
at Swansea Town
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
.
Even though he was still hampered by the knee injury he was an instrumental part in helping the club win the Third Division South in 1948-49.
For the 1951–52 season, Richards signed for Barry Town
Barry Town F.C.
Barry Town FC are a football team based in Barry. They dominated the League of Wales during the 1990s, but finished bottom in 2003-04 and were relegated...
, then playing in the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
and managed by Bill Jones, who later managed Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
. He helped the club reach the 1st Round Proper of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and was top goal scorer with 40 goals, many scored with an uncannily accurate header.
Richards opened 1952–53 with a hat-trick, the first of four that season, and scored seventeen goals in the first ten games. He was again Barry’s top scorer with 35 goals and top scored the following season with 32 goals in 1953–54.
Richards scored in the 3–1 defeat of Wrexham in the 1955 semi-final of the Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
, but was injured for final against Chester City
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
at the Racecourse Ground
Racecourse Ground
The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League...
and the replay at Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
, thus missing Barry’s biggest triumph of the 1950s when they won the Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
for the first time, 4–3.
In October 1955, Stan left Barry Town for Haverfordwest County.