Dean Richards Tribute / Lee Crooks

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Ex City footballer Lee Crooks heads to the front line in Afghanistan

http://m.mirror.co.uk/article?a=m4:22944806

FORMER Manchester City star is swapping the goal line for the front line.

Leading Aircraftman Lee Crooks, 33, made 73 ­appearances for City between 1994 and 2001, but retrained with the RAF in 2009.

Now he is warming up for his first tour of duty in Afghanistan at the start of next year.

The Wakefield-born star, who also played for Bradford City, Barnsley and Rochdale, said: 'Both roles are about working as a team. You train all week to prepare for the Saturday game and it's exactly the same as this.'



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DEAN RICHARDS RIP 1974-2011

Memorial Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3PnsK2SN2M



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Fans tributes

http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~2304726,00.html?



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Official obituary

http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~2304732,00.html?

Dean Ivor Richards was born in Bradford on June 9, 1974.

A Bradford City season ticket holder as a schoolboy, he also attended Rhodesway School.

After working his way through the age groups, Dean joined the full time Trainee ranks at Valley Parade in the summer of 1990.

He scored on his Football League debut for City when he netting in Bradford's 3-1 win at AFC Bournemouth on October 26, 1991.

He made a further nine senior appearances during that season before signing his first full professional forms on July 10, 1992.

Dean eventually made over 80 appearances for City, scoring four goals, before joining Wolves on loan on March 25, 1995. Having helped them to the play-offs, the deal was made permanent in late May for a then club record £1,850,000 fee.

After four successful years with Wolves he moved on to Premier League side Southampton on a Bosman free transfer on July 14, 1999.

Two productive two years at The Dell followed for Dean before he was reunited with former Saints boss Glenn Hoddle at Tottenham Hotspur in September 2001 for £8,100,000.

Only days after arriving at White Hart Lane, he scored on his Spurs debut against Manchester United. Dean grabbed Tottenham's opening goal as they raced into a  3-0 lead before United roared back to win 5-3.

His final senior appearance for Tottenham at Aston Villa on May 2, 2004 before announcing his retirement on medical advice on March 21, 2005 at the age 30.

During his career, Dean featured for a Football League Under 21 side in 1995 before playing four games in the Toulon Under 21 tournament for England later that year.

He returned to the football club to teach youngsters on a part-time basis for a spell from August, 2007.

Dean Richards passed away at a Leeds hospice this Saturday, aged 36, following a long-term illness.

The thoughts of football club are with Dean's family and friends during this difficult time.


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http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/8878277.Bradford_City_pay_tribute_to_Dean_Richards/

Bradford City pay tribute to Dean Richards
2:00pm Saturday 26th February 2011
By Sports Desk

Former Bantams defender Dean Richards has died after a long-term illness, believed to be a brain tumour, it was announced today. He was 36.

He was admitted to a hospice in Leeds earlier this week.

After retiring in 2005 due to ill health Richards, who also played for Tottenham, Wolves and Southampton, was forced to retire from the game in March 2005 after suffering from dizzy spells and headaches while at White Hart Lane.

Bradford-born Richards, a former pupil at Rhodesway School, started his career with his hometown club, where he made more than 80 appearances between 1992-1995, scoring four goals.

Richards moved to Wolves in 1995, where he made 145 appearances in a four-year spell and became a crowd favourite.

He subsequently moved on to Southampton, who were then in the top flight, where he spent two years before switching to White Hart Lane for £8.1million, despite the player not having earned any senior international caps for England.

Richards, who played four times at Under-21 level, spent four years in north London, although his time there was dogged by injury.

He was forced to give up the game in March 2005 after suffering dizzy spells and headaches, which were reportedly initially diagnosed as an inner ear infection.

Richards made almost 350 appearances in a career spanning 13 years before his retirement and returned to the game in August 2007 as a youth team coach at Bradford.

A club statement said: "The club are truly devastated to hear of the death of former fans' favourite Dean Richards."

The club will hold a minute's silence in his memory before the next home game against Rotherham on March 8.

City decided against one today (v Stockport) because many of the fans inside the ground may not have heard the news and they wanted to allow it to sink in.


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