RIP Dean Richards

Dean Richards, the former Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Wolves defender, has died at the age of 36.

When Richards moved from Saints to Spurs in 2001 in an £8.1m deal it was the highest amount paid for a player with no senior international caps.

Just four years after that record switch, he was forced to end his 13-year playing career because of illness.

Since 2007, Richards had been youth-team coach at hometown club Bradford City, where he began his career.

In 1995 Richards was signed by Wolves and four years later moved to then-Premiership side Southampton, who were managed by current Cardiff boss Dave Jones at the time.

Richards also impressed under Jones's successor Glenn Hoddle, who took the centre-half with him to White Hart Lane in 2001.

Richards was dogged by injury at Spurs, however, making 73 appearances in his four years in north London.

After suffering dizzy spells and headaches, Richards was advised it would be harmful to his health to continue playing and hung up his boots in March 2005.

He had initially been diagnosed with an inner ear infection and underwent a scan for a brain tumour, which came back negative.

Richards played for England's Under-21s on four occasions but did not wins any caps at senior level.




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Very sad news. RIP.

rip Dean, tragic

RIP.

sad sad news . rip dean.

Hard to believe really...only 36, very sad for his family.

RIP

Very sad new's. R.I.P Dean and condolences to your family. Does anyone know if he was a family man with children as it is bad enough passing at such a young age but to leave a young family behind is even more tragic. So sad and it show's how much we should all value the life we have and all try to get on with one another.

Never post on your own section usually, just wanted to pay my respects,a tragic loss,and so damned young,RIP DEAN.

Really sad news this, R.I.P Deano!!

Thoughts are with his family and friends.

Rip Deano

From the BBC website . . . . .

4 March 2011 Last updated at 11:23
Funeral in Bradford for footballer Dean Richards

The funeral of former footballer Dean Richards is taking place in his home city of Bradford.

The service at the city's cathedral was expected to be attended by many of the team-mates he played alongside during his career.

The 36-year-old former Wolves and Tottenham defender died on Saturday after a long-term battle with illness.

In 2007 Richards was made youth-team coach at Bradford City, his hometown club and where he started his career.

Richards began his career at Bradford, before joining Wolves in 1995, where he became a firm favourite.

He went on to play for Southampton for two years before moving to Tottenham, who paid £8.1m for his services.

He spent four years in north London although his time there was dogged by injury.

In 2005 he was forced to retire from the game at the age of 30, when he was suffering from dizzy spells and headaches - an illness which was initially diagnosed as an ear infection.

Richards made almost 350 appearances in a career spanning 13 years before his retirement.

He returned to the game in August 2007 as Bradford youth team coach.

Bradford City said the club was "truly devastated" by his death.