Derek Richardson (footballer)

Derek Richardson (born 13 July 1956) is an English former professional footballer who played as goalkeeper.

Derek Richardson

Personal information
Date of birth	(1956-07-13) 13 July 1956 (age 68)
Place of birth	Hackney, England
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
	Chelsea
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1974–1976	Chelsea	0	(0)
1976–1979	Queens Park Rangers	31	(0)
1979–1982	Sheffield United	42	(0)
1982	Coventry City	0	(0)
	Maidstone United
	Welling United
	Fisher Athletic
Total		73	(0)
International career
	England youth
1986	England Semi-Pro	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Born in Hackney, Richardson played professionally for Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield United, and Coventry City, making a total of 73 appearances in the Football League.^[1][2] He later played non-League football with Maidstone United, Welling United and Fisher Athletic, before becoming a London taxi driver.^[3]

He also played at international level for England at youth and semi-professional levels.^[1]

In 1979, he played in a benefit match for West Bromwich Albion player Len Cantello, that saw a team of white players play against a team of black players.^[4]

In December 2016, amid the United Kingdom football sexual abuse scandal, Richardson became the third former Chelsea player to allege abuse by former chief scout Eddie Heath.^[5]

Personal life

Richardson was born in England to a Jamaican father and English mother.^[6]