Chris

Born on October 22, 1970, in Barking, England, Ian Richardson was a former professional footballer and caretaker manager. He played as a midfielder or centre-half in 260 games in the Football League for Birmingham City and Notts County, where he spent most of his professional career. Before embarking on his football career, Richardson worked as a meat-porter at Smithfield Market in London, where he learned to work hard and work well with others. He played football part-time, showcasing his skills with Dagenham & Redbridge in the Conference, which earned him a £60,000 move to Birmingham City in the 1995 close season. Dagenham teammate Jason Broom described Richardson as "never the most gifted player in the world but was a ferocious tackler. He used to get from box to box and scored lots of goals mainly through his excellence in the air." He made his Football League debut on 8 October 1995, as a substitute replacing Jonathan Hunt in a 2–0 win at home to Southend United. However, after just three months, he joined Notts County on loan. He returned to Birmingham and made three more first-team appearances, including in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final against Leeds United. B Richardson went on to join Notts County on a permanent basis in March 1996 for a fee of £150,000. In the 1997–98 season, Richardson was part of Sam Allardyce's Notts County team that won the Division Three title by a record margin and at a record early date. A £350,000 move to Wimbledon fell through on a failed medical, which pleased County's manager Jocky Scott. With the club in financial difficulties, Richardson took a pay cut to remain at County because his family was settled in the area. Richardson's contract expired at the end of the 2002–03 season, and the club was in administration and subject to a transfer embargo. It wasn't until August 2003 that the Football League gave them permission to offer Richardson monthly terms. The problems never influenced the players on the pitch – only during every other moment when they weren't playing. Despite his limited playing appearances in the 2004–05 season, Richardson was voted County's Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, and was selected as League Two's "Unsung Hero" in BBC Sport's alternative awards list. In November 2004, Richardson was appointed caretaker player-manager after the departure of Gary Mills. He said: "I'm delighted to have landed the job full-time. The effort and desire to improve has been fantastic from everyone at the club, and hopefully we can build on what we have already achieved". Although his injured knee restricted him to a mostly managerial role, h4 successfully led the team away from relegation and to the Third Round of the FA Cup. Richardson was replaced as manager by Gudjon Thordarson at the end of the season. After his playing contract expired in June 2005, he was given a monthly contract to allow him time to prove his fitness. Despite playing in two reserve games, the club's view was "the knee has not made a sufficient recovery for the acquired level of professional football," and Richardson was released. The player took legal advice and consulted the Professional Footballers' Association. Still, after trials with Peterborough United and Burton Albion, he decided to retire as a player and accept the offer of a testimonial match and a coaching role with the club's Football in the Community programme. In 2010, Richardson was working as Activity Manager for Notts County's Football in the Community programme. It won the League Two Best Community Initiative Award at the 2008 Football League Awards ceremony for a project designed to use football to approach the improvement of self-esteem and life skills of adult males with mental health issues. Ian, continued the role for Notts County FC Football in the Community, where he decided to embark on a charity run that took him through the club's past and present homes. The run took place on the final home game of the 2013.14 season. He said: "I love my job, helping people achieve things in life gives me a lot of joy. So many children have few opportunities, especially during this recession, so I’d like to help them get back into education or employment." Ian Richardson managed to raise almost £1,300 from his charity run. Ian Richardson was an exceptional football player who exemplified unwavering loyalty, determination, and leadership skills. He always gave his best and showed immense dedication to his team's success. Ian's fighting spirit was an inspiration to his teammates, and his calm and collected approach to the game helped him make wise decisions and steer his team towards victory. Ian's versatility as a player was another of his outstanding qualities. He could adapt to any situation and play different roles in the team, always demonstrating his exceptional talent and commitment to the game. Ian Richardson was a true asset to his team and will be remembered as a role model for future generations of football players. Please consider helping to donate to the Pride of Nottingham site cost as a way to support what we do. Also, be sure to check out the dashboard page to see all the latest discussions and get a quick insight into the Pride of Nottingham community.