He played 260 games in the Football League for Birmingham City and for Notts County,[1] where he spent most of his professional career, including for a time acting as caretaker manager.
[1] Though he returned to Birmingham and made three more first-team appearances,[5] including a place in the starting eleven for the second leg of the League Cup semi-final against Leeds United,[6] Richardson joined Notts County on a permanent basis in March 1996 for a fee of £150,000.
[11] His contract expired at the end of the 2002–03 season; with the club in administration and subject to a transfer embargo, it was not until August 2003 that the Football League gave them permission to offer Richardson monthly terms.
"[13] Richardson was appointed caretaker player-manager in November 2004 after the departure of Gary Mills,[14] though his injured knee restricted him to a largely managerial role.
[15] He successfully led the team away from relegation and to the Third Round of the FA Cup,[16] but was replaced as manager by Gudjon Thordarson at the end of the season.