Name: John RichardsonHeight: 5.10½ ft
Weight: 11.00 st
Position: Goalkeeper
Representative Honours: Ireland: Amateur Representative (1925); Junior Shield Representative XI.
Club Honours: (with Ormiston) Steel & Sons Cup Winner 1924/25
Club Career:
Victoria Amateurs 20/21
Mountpottinger... 21/22
Distillery....... 21/22
Glentoran........ 22/23
Willowfield...... 23/24
Ormiston......... 24/25
Linfield......... 24/25-??/??
Biography:
John Richardson first appeared as a goalkeeper with Mountpottinger in the 1921/22 season, earning selection for a representative side of Junior Shield clubs that faced the Randalstown & District League. By the spring of 1922 he was turning out for Distilley II and the following season he was an ever-present for Glentoran II. Another move took him to Willowfield in 1923/24 but injuries put him out of the game for a lengthy spell. In 1924/25 he was part of the Ormiston team that defeated Ballyclare Comrades in the final of the Steel Cup following a second replay but it was his starring performance in a Co. Antrim Shield match against Belfast Celtic that drew the attentions of Linfield.
The Blues chased hard for Richardson's signature for some weeks before getting their man. They had been struggling for a consistent 'keeper throughout the 24/25 season, indeed they had tried three others between the sticks before signing Richardson. A "rough diamond", it was felt that Linfield had "unearthed a custodian with intuition and general ability to safely entrust him with the work of looking after the most important position on an Association team - goal."
Regarded as a "goalkeeper of class", Richardson appeared for Amateur Ireland in a match against the Irish League which was one of the first to be played under the then new offside rules, i.e. the "two opponent" rule rather than the old "three opponent" version.
Ireland Amateur Representative Appearances:
11-05-1925 Irish League H D 2-2
Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 0.
Photo and details from ISN article kindly forwarded by Jim Murphy.
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