Frazer Richardson

Football player infobox
playername = Frazer Richardson


fullname = Frazer Richardson
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1982|10|29
cityofbirth = Rotherham
countryofbirth = England
height = height|m=1.81
currentclub = Leeds United
clubnumber = 2
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2001-
2003
2003
clubs = Leeds United
→ Stoke City (loan)
→ Stoke City (loan)
caps(goals) = 135 (3)
007 (0)
006 (1)
pcupdate = 4 October, 2008

Frazer Richardson (born 29 October 1982 in Rotherham) is an English professional footballer currently playing for Leeds United. He is their current team captain.

Career

Leeds United

He made his Leeds debut as a second-half substitute against Hapoel Tel Aviv during the 2002/03 UEFA Cup campaign. He made his full debut against Arsenal at right full-back, a position he is tipped to have on a permanent basis after the retirement of Gary Kelly. Since then, Richardson has covered a variety of roles for United.

Richardson scored his first ever Leeds goal on his second start for the club, the goal turning out to be the winner against Derby County in Leeds' first game of the 2004/05 campaign (because the game was a 12:15 kick-off on Sky Sports, this was actually the first ever goal in the newly rebranded "Coca-Cola Football League Championship"). Richardson was then replaced on the right of midfield (from where he scored his debut goal) by John Oster. However, an injury to Stephen Crainey meant Richardson was given a chance to establish himself at left full-back. However, his spell was short lived after Manager Kevin Blackwell chose to play the likes of Danny Pugh and Matthew Kilgallon in that position. Richardson has found himself in the hearts of many of the Leeds faithful with a number of Chants dedicated to him.

Prior to the 2005/06 campaign, Richardson was subject to two bids from Sunderland, both which were rejected immediately by Leeds' chairman, Ken Bates [cite news | date=2005-05-26 | url=http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=280708&plid=12092&clid=2&cpid=10 | title=Bates slams Richardson bids | publisher=Sky Sports | accessdate=2007-06-22 | author=Peter ORourke] . Several months later, Richardson signed a new contract with Leeds, pledging his future to the club until August 2008 [cite news | date=2005-05-19 | url=http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=299930&plid=12092&clid=2&cpid=10 | title=Frazer commits to Leeds | publisher=Sky Sports | accessdate=2007-06-22 | author=James Pearson] .

That season, Richardson infrequently played on the right of midfield - competing for his position with Ian Moore (himself preferring to play as a forward), Jonathan Douglas, and David Healy (who prefers to play out of position rather than as a substitute). Richardson scored in the Play-Off semi final away leg win against Preston North End for Leeds in May 2006, playing in an unusual attacking wide right position, though he reverted to a more familiar role for the Play-Off final defeat against Watford a few weeks later. In the 2006/07 season, Richardson hardly featured under Blackwell in the Leeds team at all due to injuries. Under new manager Dennis Wise, Richardson played more regularly in the Leeds starting lineup, replacing the injured Gary Kelly at right back.

On the retirement on Kelly, Richardson was given the number two shirt and finally became the club's first choice right back. Despite rumours of a transfer away from Elland Road to Wolves or Burnley, it is apparent that Richardson will be staying at the club, having started all the club's matches in the 2007-08 season until injury ruled him out on February 2, scoring a wonder goal at Elland Road in the January thrashing of Northampton. He is currently the club's longest serving player, being the only player to have still been at the club when David O'Leary was in charge.

Under current Leeds manager Gary McAllister, Richardson has also played in the left-back position, playing a few games there as a replacement for on-loan Leicester City defender Alan Sheehan. After a poor performance in this position against Cheltenham, Richardson was booed off the pitch by Leeds fans and didn't play for a few weeks after. He returned in his usual right-back position as a replacement for the injured Darren Kenton in their 1-0 win over Doncaster, and played well. Frazer was appointed Leeds captain in August 2008 by McAllister. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/7553322.stm]

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=29381|name=Frazer Richardson