Damien’s father George had played League of Ireland with Brideville and Bray Unknowns before managing St Patrick’s Athletic so he was introduced to football from a young age.

Richardson junior’s playing career began with Home Farm but he soon got the chance to support the club he supported; Shamrock Rovers.

There he won two FAI Cups in 1968 and 1969 - he scored in the final replay - during his nine-year spell at the club before he left for Gillingham where he would also spend nine seasons, scoring 102 goals in all competitions and helping them win promotion to the old division 3.

Richardson would win three senior caps for the Republic of Ireland and made his debut against Austria in 1971.

He would represent various non-league clubs before he officially retired when he accepted the role of youth team boss at his Gillingham before returning to Ireland to take over as boss at Cork City.

There he would almost lead the club to another league title while they also took on Galatasaray in the European Cup and nearly knocked them out which would’ve set up a meeting with Manchester United.

After 18 months at the helm, he left City and would later take charge of Cobh Ramblers, Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers, City again, a League of Ireland XI and finally Drogheda United.

His most memorable moments came with Shels, where he won two more FAI Cups, and also at City where he would win the league title in 2005 and FAI Cup in 2007.