Famous Players – The 2010’s

Marc Richards

Much travelled striker Marc Richards started his playing career with Blackburn Rovers and following loan spells at a number of clubs and permanent deals at Northampton and Barnsley he joined the Vale on a free transfer in June 2007.

He was recognised as one of the club’s better players and was made club captain by manager Martin Foyle for his first season as a Valiant. However, he could not prevent the Vale from suffering relegation in the 2007-08 campaign as he netted just 5 times in 32 games.

Marc was top scorer with 11 goals in 2008-09, a season which was interrupted by a number of minor injuries resulting in him making just 34 appearances in all competitions.  As Vale then established themselves in League 2, Marc became a regular goalscorer hitting 20 goals in each of the following 2 seasons.  The first player to do so since Martin Foyle in 1993-94 and 1994-95.

In 2011-12 the Vale were forced into administration due to financial difficulties but Marc and the administrators resolutely refused to consider offers for him to join other clubs and he finished the season with 17 goals from 36 games.  This made him the club’s top scorer for the fourth season in succession.

Marc moved to Chesterfield in 2012 and also played for Northampton, Swindon, Cambridge and Yeovil. He recorded an impressive 213 career goals in 707 appearances during a playing career lasting just short of 20 years.

He is currently first team coach at Northampton Town.