| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Richard Michael Forsyth[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1970-10-03)3 October 1970 (age 55)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Dudley, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 198?–1987 | Stourbridge | ||
| 1987–1995 | Kidderminster Harriers | 303 | (71) |
| 1995–1996 | Birmingham City | 26 | (2) |
| 1996–1999 | Stoke City | 95 | (17) |
| 1999–2000 | Blackpool | 13 | (0) |
| 2000–2002 | Peterborough United | 70 | (2) |
| 2002 | →Cheltenham Town (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 2002–2004 | Cheltenham Town | 34 | (3) |
| 2004 | Northwich Victoria | 3 | (0) |
| 2006 | Wolverhampton Casuals | ||
| 2007 | Shawbury United | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Richard Michael Forsyth (born 3 October 1970) is an English former professionalfootballer who played as amidfielder. He made nearly 250 appearances in theFootball League playing forBirmingham City,Stoke City,Blackpool,Peterborough United andCheltenham Town.[3]
Forsyth was born inDudley,Staffordshire (nowWest Midlands).[4] He began his football career withStourbridge before joiningKidderminster Harriers in 1987. In eight years with the club he played more than 300 games in all competitions, scoring 71 goals.[5] He was part of the team which won theConference title in1993–94,[6] and was the club's leading league scorer for the1994–95 season with 13 goals,[7] before moving toBirmingham City for a fee of £100,000.[6]
A year later he moved on toStoke City for a £200,000 fee,[8] where he scored the first League goal in Stoke's newBritannia Stadium,[9] went on to spend three seasons with the club playing more than 100 games in all competitions.[4] His next move was toBlackpool on a free transfer in 1999, and then toPeterborough United, also on a free, where he linked up again with former Birmingham managerBarry Fry.[8] In October 2002, amid financial uncertainty at Peterborough, Forsyth joinedCheltenham Town on a month's loan;[10] on his return to Peterborough, the club expected him to remain with them, but, claiming the player had been "unsettled" by Cheltenham's offer of a longer permanent contract, finally allowed him to join Cheltenham for a fee of £15,000.[11][12] In January 2003 he sustained a hamstring injury which put paid to the remainder of his season.[13][14] Released at the end of the2003–2004 season, Forsyth joinedNorthwich Victoria on non-contract terms,[15] but within weeks he sufferedcruciate ligament damage which would keep him out for the season.[16]
He has since played for Stoke City's Masters team,[17] and forWolverhampton Casuals[18] andShawbury United[19] of theWest Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division.
After his career in football, he taught physical education atNorth East Wolverhampton Academy andOrmiston Forge Academy.[20]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other[A] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Birmingham City | 1995–96 | First Division | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 41 | 2 |
| Stoke City | 1996–97 | First Division | 40 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 8 |
| 1997–98 | First Division | 37 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 8 | |
| 1998–99 | Second Division | 18 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 2 | |
| Total | 95 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 108 | 18 | ||
| Blackpool | 1999–2000 | Second Division | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Peterborough United | 2000–01 | Second Division | 30 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 3 |
| 2001–02 | Second Division | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 1 | |
| 2002–03 | Second Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 70 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 85 | 4 | ||
| Cheltenham Town | 2002–03 | Second Division | 12 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 3 |
| 2003–04 | Third Division | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 2 | |
| Total | 39 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 46 | 5 | ||
| Northwich Victoria | 2004–05 | Football Conference | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Career total | 246 | 25 | 22 | 1 | 20 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 299 | 29 | ||
