Richard Money (born 13 October 1955) is an English former footballer and manager who was most recently manager of National League club Hartlepool United. Before this, he managed Cambridge United, overseeing the side's return to the Football League after a nine-year absence. Money was dismissed by Cambridge in November 2015.
Playing career Born in Lowestoft, Suffolk, Money grew up a Norwich City fan. After captaining Lowestoft and Suffolk Boys as a youngster, he joined Ipswich Town as an associate schoolboy when he was 14. The 90-mile return journey between home and Portman Road proved difficult however, leading to Money not being retained by the Tractor Boys when he left school.Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p55.
Money joined local Eastern Counties Football League side Lowestoft Town, where despite only turning 17 two months into the season, he quickly became a star for the Suffolk outfit. Scunthorpe United's then-management duo of Ron Ashman and Ron Bradley, had both played for Norwich City and had lots of contacts across East Anglia, leading to them being recommended Money by local scout Jack Harper.https://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/381 ('Scrapbook' section, 2nd image down, direct quote from Ron Ashman under 'Richard will be pushing, says Ron Ashman'. Bradley later scouted Money in-person during a cup match between Lowestoft and Norwich City, leading to Scunthorpe offering Money professional terms at the end of the 1972-73 season.
News of Scunthorpe's offer reignited Ipswich's interest in their former associate schoolboy; but Money elected to reject The Tractor Boys' offer of apprenticeship terms - instead turning professional with Scunthorpe. The Iron and manager Ron Ashman did however, strike a gentleman's agreement with then-Ipswich manager Sir Bobby Robson to offer the club first-refusal should they ever sell Money on.https://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/381 ('Scrapbook' section, 2nd image down, direct quote from Ron Ashman under 'Richard will be pushing, says Ron Ashman').
The teenage Money was an immediate hit in Lincolnshire, making 32 appearances in his debut season at the Old Showground, including making his league debut and scoring his first professional goal when he was still 17.Staff, John. (17 October 2012). From Nuts to Iron – The Official History of Scunthorpe United 1899–2012. Yore Publications p244 Despite Scunthorpe having finished rock-bottom of the Fourth Division in 1974–75, Money's unusually athletic and ball-playing style of play saw him extensively linked with a move away from the club.
This included Brian Clough allegedly attempting to 'tap up' Money in the Old Showground's dressing rooms during Scunthorpe's 1-0 victory over local rivals Doncaster Rovers in April 1976, after Money had been sent off.Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p57. Clough's Nottingham Forest later formally requested to take Money on a month's loan, with a view to permanently signing him, but Scunthorpe manager Ashman refused, later citing his concern that Money's confidence could be damaged, or be harder to sell, if the loan spell was unsuccessful.The second and third pictures in the 'Scrapbook' section here; https://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/381 Money later admitted that he was "distraught" at the decision and "fell out with Ron big time over it."Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p57.
Despite the move to Forest falling through, many suitors remained interested in the defender and in November 1977 - Scunthorpe accepted Fulham's £50,000 offer. This was a then-club record sale for ScunthorpeSteels, Bob (15 December 2010). "United's former goal king raises a glass of claret to past glories". Scunthorpe Telegraph. pp. 34–35 and also included a 10 per cent cut of any profit Fulham made in the future by selling Money on.https://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/381 (Scrapbook section, 2nd image down, 'Richard will be pushing, says Ron Ashman'.
During his time in West London, Money received four call-ups to the England under-21 squad,Anfield Accent, 1 May 1980. Available in Scrapbook section here; https://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/381 gained one England B cap in a game against New Zealand, before eventually making 106 league appearances for the Cottagers.
Money again attracted a number of suitors whilst at Craven Cottage, before eventually signing for Bob Paisley's Liverpool on 1 May 1980.Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p58. for £350,000; with Scunthorpe gaining a £30,000 slice of Fulham's £300,000 profit.
During his time on Merseyside, Money grew particularly close to club icon Kenny Dalglish, who is the godfather of Money's son.Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p60. Money made his debut for The Reds against West Brom on 13 September 1980, before going on to make 17 appearances in his first season at the club; including in both the League Cup and European Cup semi-final second legs.
Following Alan Kennedy breaking his wrist in the first leg at Anfield, Money starred in the second leg away at Bayern Munich in the unfamiliar role of left-back. Defying their huge underdog status after the first-leg 0–0 draw, Liverpool progressed to the European Cup final on away goals thanks to a 1–1 draw, with Money's performance drawing public praise from Real Madrid winger Laurie Cunningham. This would prove to be the highlight of Money's career at Liverpool however, as he was later an unused substitute for the final, saying: "There was a break before the final and I knew Alan (Kennedy) would be fit. I genuinely felt in my own mind that Alan would play. I'd never thought of it as anything other than a foregone conclusion that he'd back." Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p60.
However, after Liverpool's signing of Mark Lawrenson from Brighton that summer, Money fell down the pecking order at Anfield and did not make any appearances for Liverpool the following season. In pursuit of first-team football, he engineered a loan move to Derby in late 1981, before eventually joining Luton Town permanently for £100,000 in March 1982. Admitting, that he "lost patience too quickly", Money has since expressed regret regarding his departure from Liverpool, saying: "I look back now and you should never leave Liverpool until you're kicked out. I wasn't, but I wanted to play, so decided to leave." Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p202.
Managed by David Pleat, Luton won promotion to the First Division in the remainder of their 1981–82 campaign, before they duly survived in the top-flight the following season. Money made 44 league appearances and scored one goal for the Hatters, but in August 1983 he was reunited with his previous Fulham manager Bobby Campbell, who was now in charge of Portsmouth.
Money had terrible injury luck at Fratton Park, with two cruciate operations meaning he was only able to make 17 league appearances before rejoining Scunthorpe United in October 1985.Staff, John. (17 October 2012). From Nuts to Iron – The Official History of Scunthorpe United 1899–2012. Yore Publications p257, Game 13. Despite initially signing as a player-coach, Money swiftly became an instrumental part of Scunthorpe's defence, overcoming injuries to play a combined 80 games in all competitions for the club across their 1985–86 and 1986–87 Fourth Division campaigns.Staff, John. (17 October 2012). From Nuts to Iron – The Official History of Scunthorpe United 1899–2012. Yore Publications pp.257-258
Following the departure of manager Frank Barlow in March 1987, Money was appointed caretaker player-manager, aged just 31. He later admitted that "I wasn't ready" for the role, adding: "I had good support from Bill Green, but it was tough. I certainly didn't know how to handle the directors at that time. I also found it difficult picking a team with me in it."Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p61.
With the appointment of Mick Buxton as manager in April 1987, Scunthorpe came close to automatic promotion in the 1987–88 and 1988–89 Fourth Division seasons, but lost in the play-offs on both occasions. & Highlighting Andy Flounders, Tony Daws, Kevin 'Ticker' Taylor and Ron Green as particularly talented team-mates during this time, when asked if the team was good enough to get promoted, Money admitted: "Yes, definitely. We should have gone up automatically."Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p61.
Owing to consistent injury problems, Money retired from playing after making just two appearances in Scunthorpe's following 1988–89 campaign, to focus solely on his coaching role at the club.Staff, John. (17 October 2012). From Nuts to Iron – The Official History of Scunthorpe United 1899–2012. Yore Publications. p261.
Coaching career After returning to Scunthorpe 1985, and for the duration of his second spell as a player, Money combined his playing with his role as a youth development coach. He later remembered: "There were some tough days. I coached the schoolboys in the evening, and, when I trained with the first team in the morning, I'd take (the schoolboys) in the morning, go and report and then play (for the first team) in the afternoon. That's how it was in those days. You did all sorts."Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. pp.61-2.
During this time, Money was also responsible for Scunthorpe's 1988 youth intake of Graham Alexander, Richard Hall and Neil Cox. This is the only time in the club's history that three academy graduates from the same year have all gone on to play in the top flight, whilst Alexander and Cox also both later returned to manage the club.Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p62.
Money later left the club to take up a Youth Coach role at Aston Villa, working under first-team managers Graham Taylor, Jozef Vengloš and Ron Atkinson. In January 1993 however, he joined Scunthorpe for a third time - this time succeeding his previous mentor Bill Green as first-team manager.
He was in charge of The Iron for exactly 70 games in all competitions; of which they won 23, drew 24 and lost 23.Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p202. Despite highlights including a strong start to the club's 1993–94 Division Three campaign and a 7-0 victory over Northampton, the club suffered from the sales of top-goalscorer Ian Helliwell and star centre-half Matt Elliott and Money later confessed that he should not have taken the job. "The fact that Tom Belton (the club chairman) was a good family friend made it difficult to have tough conversations. Going back for the third time was a mistake. I thought taking Scunthorpe as my first job was the right thing to do, but it wasn't. There was too much familiarity."Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p202.
Money eventually left the club for a third and final time in March 1994 however, after movement in the boardroom. "It was driven by me" he said. "The reason I left was because Tom (Belton) was ousted. I found it very difficult to have a relationship with someone knowing that Tom was no longer chairman. That sense of loyalty to Tom was really difficult to deal with. I agreed to part pretty quickly. I didn't dislike anyone who took over. But I just didn't feel right."Bell, Max (31 August 2020). Scunthorpe United: 20 Legends. Vertical Editions. p202.