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Francis Haden Richards (9 July 1869 – 30 August 1944) was an English football manager and administrator. He served as secretary-manager of Birmingham, Preston North End and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.

Richards' son Sam also became secretary of the Birmingham club, and joined their board of directors during the Second World War.^[1]

Life and career

Richards was born in 1869 in Amblecote, Staffordshire, the son of Charles Richards, a wharfman who became a coal agent,^[2]^[3] and his wife, Emma née Haden.^[4] By 1891, the family had moved to Handsworth, in what is now Birmingham, and Richards was working as a commercial traveller. They had a lodger: George Ramsay, manager of Aston Villa F.C.^[5] Richards married Lilian Ann Baynes in 1893.^[6] The 1901 Census finds the couple and two sons living in Grove Lane, Handsworth; Richards was working as a commission agent selling jewellery, pianos and furniture.^[7]

Richards joined the St Andrew's office staff in 1907.^[8] The 1911 Census records him as assistant secretary, living in Fourth Avenue, Small Heath; his 15-year-old son Sam was also on the office staff.^[9] Richards was appointed club secretary later that year, and took over responsibility for team affairs in 1915 when the Football League was suspended because of the First World War.^[8] He oversaw the signing of 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.^[10]^[11] In 1920–21 he led Birmingham to the championship of the Second Division.^[10] They failed to enter the 1921–22 FA Cup after Richards forgot to send in the forms in time to be exempt from qualifying, and the Football Association proved impervious to appeals for clemency; although that did not preclude their entering the competition in the qualifying rounds, the directors chose not to.^[10]^[12] In 1923, after two years in the top flight, Richards handed over responsibility for playing matters to former player Billy Beer, remaining as club secretary for a further two years.^[10]

In May 1925, Richards became secretary-manager of Preston North End. He hired former Birmingham and England centre-forward Harry Hampton as coach,^[13] and was responsible for bringing Alex James to the club.^[14] He held the post for two seasons, and from June 1928 he spent a further two years as secretary-manager of Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.^[10]

Richards died in Birmingham in August 1944 at the age of 75.^[15]

References

^ "S. Richards on Blues board". Evening Despatch. Birmingham. 22 December 1943. p. 4. After 34 years' service with the Birmingham Football Club, Mr. S.F.L. Richards is resigning the secretaryship as and from 1 January next because of business interests likely to be of a permanent nature. Supporters will be pleased to hear that Mr. Richards's services to the club are not to be lost, the directors having unanimously invited him to join the Board, and Mr. Richards has accepted the invitation.
^ "Francis Richard". 1871 England Census. RG10/3021 56 – via Ancestry Library Edition.
^ "Francis Richards". 1881 England Census. RG11/2802 85 – via Ancestry Library Edition.
^ "Emma Haden". England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837–2005. Retrieved 6 August 2020 – via FamilySearch.
^ "Francis H Richards". 1891 England Census. RG12/2262 34 – via Ancestry Library Edition.
^ "Francis Haden Richards". England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837–2005. Retrieved 6 August 2020 – via FamilySearch.
^ "Francis H Richards". 1901 England Census. RG13/2711 18 – via Ancestry Library Edition.
^ ^a ^b Matthews (2000), p. 190.
^ "Francis Haden Richards". 1911 England Census. RG14/18187 – via Ancestry Library Edition.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Matthews (1995), p. 60.
^ Matthews (2000), pp. 12–13.
^ "Association Football: The qualifying rounds of the Cup competition". Manchester Guardian. 23 April 1921. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
"Birmingham not to play for English Cup next year". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 27 April 1921. p. 7.
^ "Hampton as coach". Athletic News. Manchester. 15 June 1925. p. 18.
^ "Noted players transferred. Alec James goes to Preston N.E.". Courier and Argus. Dundee. 23 September 1925. p. 6.
^ "Mr. F.H. Richards dead". Evening Despatch. Birmingham. 31 August 1944. p. 4.

Sources

Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
Matthews, Tony (2000). The Encyclopedia of Birmingham City Football Club 1875–2000. Cradley Heath: Britespot. ISBN 978-0-9539288-0-4.