Richard Nuttall was born in South Yorkshire and grew up playing as a defender in the academies of Stoke City and Leeds United.
In 1983, Nuttall moved to the United States full-time and was a physicals education teacher and football coach at North Shore High School until 1988, when he was hired at the head manager for Hofstra University's men's team.
[2] Nuttall began his coaching tenure at Hofstra in 1988, taking over a program that had experienced five losing seasons in the previous nine years.
The team was the top seed in the postseason tournament but lost to defending champion Boston University in the finals.
[citation needed] In 2004, Nuttall guided the Pride to one of their most memorable seasons, winning the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championship and earning their first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament berth.
The 2021 season was particularly successful, with the team setting a school record of 18 victories (18–2–2), winning the CAA title, and advancing to the third round of the NCAA Championship for the first time in program history.
Junior forward Ryan Carmichael was named CAA Player of the Year, and sophomore midfielder Eliot Goldthorp earned All-America honors, ranking second nationally in points and goals.