Frank Richards (football manager)

Frank Richards (c. 1880 – 1963) was an English football manager and administrator. He served as secretary-manager of Birmingham, Preston North End and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic and later joined the board of directors at Birmingham.

Born in Handsworth, Birmingham, Richards worked in the Jewellery Quarter of the city before joining the St Andrew's office staff in 1907. He was appointed club secretary in 1910 and took over responsibility for team affairs in 1915 when the Football League was suspended because of the First World War. He signed a number of players who went on to give excellent service to Birmingham, including record goalscorer Joe Bradford, playmaker Johnny Crosbie, future manager George Liddell and England international goalkeeper Dan Tremelling; those four between them made over 1,500 Football League appearances for the club. In 1920–21 he led Birmingham to the championship of the Second Division. Birmingham failed to enter the FA Cup in 1921–22 because Richards forgot to send in the forms; the Football Association proved impervious to appeals for clemency. After two years in the top flight he handed over responsibility for playing matters to former player Billy Beer, remaining as club secretary for a further two years.

In May 1925 he became secretary-manager of Preston North End. He took with him Birmingham player Harry Hampton as coach, and was responsible for bringing Alex James to the club. [cite web
url=http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRESTONrichardsF.htm |title=Frank Richards: Preston North End |publisher=Spartacus Educational |accessdate=2007-11-28] He held the post for two seasons before returning to Birmingham as club secretary with Bill Harvey as team manager. For two years from June 1928 he was secretary-manager of Bournemouth. He later spent five years as a member of Birmingham's board of directors. He died in Birmingham in 1963 at the age of 83.

References

*cite book
author=Matthews, Tony |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |year=1995 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |pages=pp. 14–15, 60 |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9
*cite book
title=The Encyclopedia of Birmingham City Football Club 1875~2000 |author=Matthews, Tony |year=2000 |month=October |publisher=Britespot |location=Cradley Heath |pages=p. 190 |isbn=978-0-9539288-0-4

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Persondata
NAME = Richards, Frank
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Football manager and administrator
DATE OF BIRTH = c. 1880
PLACE OF BIRTH = Handsworth, Birmingham, England
DATE OF DEATH = 1963
PLACE OF DEATH = Birmingham, England