Justin Richards (footballer)

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Justin Donovan Richards (born 16 October 1980) is an English former footballer who played as a striker. A Midlands-based journeyman, he spent most of his career in the Conference and the lower leagues, with spells at clubs around the Midlands and southern England.

Richards was born in Sandwell, England, and began as an apprentice at West Bromwich Albion in 1997, turning professional in 1999 and making a couple of first-team appearances before moving to Bristol Rovers in 2001. After loan spells at Colchester United and Stevenage Borough, he joined Stevenage on a permanent basis in 2003. In 2004 he moved to Woking, where he enjoyed a productive spell, scoring 35 goals in 79 league appearances and helping the club attract attention from higher leagues.

This led to a move to Peterborough United in 2006, though he spent time on loan at Grays Athletic and Boston United before signing for Kidderminster Harriers in 2007. He stayed there for two seasons, with a loan to Oxford United in 2008. Richards then moved to Cheltenham Town in 2009, followed by Port Vale in 2010 and Burton Albion in 2011. He later had a loan back to Oxford United in 2013, before signing for Oxford United again later that year. He spent the 2013–14 season with Tamworth, then played for Sutton Coldfield Town (2014–15), Stourbridge (2015–17), returned to Sutton Coldfield Town (2017–18), and had a brief spell with Hednesford Town in 2018 before joining Rushall Olympic later that year. Over his career he had six loan spells at Colchester United, Stevenage Borough, Grays Athletic, Boston United and Oxford United.

Internationally, Richards earned one England C cap in 2006, scoring in a 1–1 draw with Wales.

Off the field, in December 2010 he pleaded guilty to affray following a drunken night out in Leeds and was fined £2,000 with a community order. In 2011 he was studying for a degree in Professional Sports Writing and Broadcasting at Staffordshire University.