| Justin Richards | |
| Nationality: | 
|
| Rovers apps (gls)1: | 16 (0) |
| Date of birth: | 16 October 1980 |
| Place of birth: | West Bromwich |
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in |
| Position: | Forward |
| Date joined: | January 2001 |
| Joined from: | West Bromwich Albion |
| Date left: | March 2003 |
| 1 League appearances and goals only. | |
Justin Richards is a forward who spent two years as a Bristol Rovers player, but made just three league starts in that time, as well as thirteen substitute appearances in the league and one substitute appearance in the Football League Trophy. He did not score any goals for the club, and was twice sent out on loan, to Colchester United and Stevenage Borough.
Richards was brought to Rovers from West Bromwich Albion by then-manager Ian Holloway just ten days before his sacking in January 2001, and he struggled to force himself into a team that was entering one of the lowest periods in its history, with relegation to the basement division and a very high turnover in management and playing staff causing a great deal of instability at the club. His debut for the first team was also his only appearance under the management of Holloway, a 1–0 defeat to Reading at the Madejski Stadium on 20 January 2001, a match which saw former Rovers player Jamie Cureton score the only goal of the game.
Over the next 21 months, Richards played a handful of first team games, before being sent out on loan to Colchester United in October 2002. He again struggled to make an impact at Layer Road, and after making just three substitute appearances; two in the league and one in the Football League Trophy; he returned to Rovers a month later. His second loan spell of the 2002-03 season was more successful however. He joined Conference side Stevenage Borough for a three-month spell, during which he played thirteen times and scored six goals, a record which earned him a permanent contract with The Boro, who he joined on a free transfer in March 2003.
Career[]
Having started out with his home town club, West Bromwich Albion, Justin has forged a career for himself in the lower echelons of league football and outside the Football League.
Justin came through the youth ranks at West Brom, and turned professional with the club at the age of seventeen. After making two substitute appearances, one in Division One and the other in the FA Cup, he moved to Bristol Rovers for a fee of £75,000, from where he joined Stevenage Borough. After a year with Stevenage he spent two years at Woking and one at Peterborough United, from where he was loaned to Grays Athletic and Boston United. In 2007 he joined Kidderminster Harriers, where he had a loan spell at Oxford United during 2008, before moving to Cheltenham Town in 2009 on a one-year deal. He was Cheltenham's top goalscorer for the 2009–10 season with 15 league goals, and although they offered him an extension to his contract in 2010 he opted instead to join Port Vale.
Twelve months later he signed a two-year deal with League Two side Burton Albion, from where he was loaned to Oxford United for a second time early in January 2013. He was eventually released by Burton shortly before the end of the January transfer window, allowing Oxford to sign him on a short-term deal until the summer. However, just days after signing for The Us he suffered a season-ending knee injury. His contract wasn't renewed when it expired, and he left the club in the summer of 2013 to join Tamworth.
Career stats[]
| Season | Club | League | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | ||
| 1998–99 | West Bromwich Albion | 1 | 0 |
| 1999–00 | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 0 |
| 2000–01 | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 0 |
| 2000–01 | Bristol Rovers | 7 | 0 |
| 2001–02 | Bristol Rovers | 1 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | Bristol Rovers | 8 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | →Colchester United (loan) | 2 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | →Stevenage Borough (loan) | 13 | 6 |
| 2002–03 | Stevenage Borough | 6 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | Stevenage Borough | 23 | 3 |
| 2004–05 | Woking | 41 | 14 |
| 2005–06 | Woking | 38 | 21 |
| 2006–07 | Peterborough United | 13 | 1 |
| 2006–07 | →Grays Athletic (loan) | 5 | 0 |
| 2006–07 | →Boston United (loan) | 3 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | Kidderminster Harriers | 26 | 6 |
| 2007–08 | →Oxford United (loan) | 15 | 1 |
| 2008–09 | Kidderminster Harriers | 39 | 16 |
| 2009–10 | Cheltenham Town | 44 | 15 |
| 2010–11 | Port Vale | 42 | 9 |
| 2011–12 | Burton Albion | 35 | 11 |
| 2012–13 | Burton Albion | 13 | 1 |
| 2012–13 | →Oxford United (loan) | 2 | 0 |
| 2012–13 | Oxford United | 2 | 0 |