Richard Gough Player Profile
Player Details
- Full Name: Charles Richard Gough
- Born: April 5th, 1962 (Stockholm, Sweden)
- Height: 6'
- Position: Right Back / Centre Half
- Signed: May 1st, 1980
- First Manager: Jim McLean
- Career Totals: 256 appearances, 37 goals
- Also Played For: Everton, Nottingham Forest, Rangers, Tottenham Hotspur
Playing History
| Season | Division |  |
 |
G2G |  |
 |
Win % | Draw % | Loss % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-87 | Premier Division | 3 | 1 | 0.33 | 0 | 0 | 66.7% | 33.3% | 0.0% |
| 1985-86 | Premier Division | 47 | 9 | 0.19 | 4 | 1 | 55.3% | 25.5% | 19.1% |
| 1984-85 | Premier Division | 51 | 8 | 0.16 | 4 | 0 | 56.9% | 17.6% | 25.5% |
| 1983-84 | Premier Division | 54 | 8 | 0.15 | 2 | 0 | 57.4% | 24.1% | 18.5% |
| 1982-83 | Premier Division | 52 | 9 | 0.17 | 6 | 1 | 63.5% | 23.1% | 13.5% |
| 1981-82 | Premier Division | 37 (8) | 2 | 0.04 | 3 | 0 | 48.9% | 24.4% | 26.7% |
| 1980-81 | Premier Division | - (4) | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 50.0% | 25.0% | 25.0% |
| Totals: | 244 (12) | 37 |
| Apps = First Team Appearances (Sub Appearances) | Gls = Goals |
| Cln = Clean Sheets | CtGR = Clean Sheets to Games Ratio | W/D/L - Games won, drawn or lost as percentage of games played in |
| Yel = Yellow Cards/Cautions | Red = Red Cards/Dismissals |
| Recent First Team Starts |
|---|
| Aug 16th, 1986 | 16/08/86 | League | Premier Division | vs. Rangers (A) | 3 - 2 |
| Aug 13th, 1986 | 13/08/86 | League | Premier Division | vs. Clydebank (A) | 0 - 0 |
| Aug 9th, 1986 | 09/08/86 | League | Premier Division | vs. Aberdeen (H) | 2 - 1 |
| Apr 19th, 1986 | 19/04/86 | League | Premier Division | vs. Clydebank (A) | 1 - 1 |
| Apr 16th, 1986 | 16/04/86 | League | Premier Division | vs. Aberdeen (A) | 1 - 0 |
| Recent First Team Goals |
|---|
| Aug 9th, 1986 | 09/08/86 | League | Premier Division | vs. Aberdeen (H) | 2 - 1 |
| Apr 16th, 1986 | 16/04/86 | League | Premier Division | vs. Aberdeen (A) | 1 - 0 |
| Apr 8th, 1986 | 08/04/86 | League | Premier Division | vs. St Mirren (H) | 5 - 0 |
| Mar 29th, 1986 | 29/03/86 | League | Premier Division | vs. Dundee (A) | 1 - 0 |
| Mar 8th, 1986 | 08/03/86 | Scottish Cup | Quarter Final | vs. Motherwell (A) | 1 - 0 |
| List of Goals Scored (click to expand) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| List of Games Played |
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Biography
After growing up in South Africa, Richard came to Britain at the age of 16 hoping to build a career as a professional footballer, and after a spell with Charlton Athletic and a trial at Rangers he signed a full-time contract with United in 1980. A regular in the reserves in his first season, he was promoted to the first team squad after making his first team debut as a substitute against Celtic in April 1981. At the end of the year he was home sick and returned briefly to South Africa, but within a few weeks he was back at Tannadice and became a regular in the line up from that point on.
He was a member of the squad that won the Scottish League championship in 1982-83, scoring several important goals during the campaign. An unused substitute in the 1981 League Cup final, he also collected runners-up medals in the League Cup and Scottish Cup finals of 1984/85.
Richard also enjoyed European football with United, including a run to the European Cup semi-final against Roma in 1984. Having already been capped at Under-21 level, he made his full international debut against Switzerland in 1983 and would go on to win 61 caps - see 'International' tab.
With several clubs in England now showing interest, Richard continued to make a significant contribution at Tannadice, collecting the SPFA Player of the Year award for 1985-86. With manager Jim McLean playing Gough at right-back for the majority of his time at United, the player grew increasingly frustrated at not being able to play in his favoured position of centre-half, and in the summer of 1986 he tabled a transfer request. Initially turned down, it ultimately resulted in a £750,000 move to Tottenham Hotspur in August 1986, where he became captain and collected an FA Cup runners-up medal in his first season.
In October 1987, he became the first £1m-plus signing by a Scottish club when Graeme Souness brought him back across the border to join Rangers, where he made his debut against his old club at Tannadice – ironically his last match for United had been against Rangers at Ibrox. Richard spent ten seasons at the Ibrox club, winning nine League, three Scottish Cup and six League Cup medals.
In 1997 he left to play in the USA with Kansas City Wizards but returned to Rangers again briefly, before going back to the USA to join San Jose Clash. In 1999 he joined Everton and had a brief spell on loan at Nottingham Forest before ending his playing career in Australia with Northern Spirit. Richard went into management for a short spell with Livingston during season 2004/05.
Last updated on Tuesday, April 19th, 2022 by B Orr.
International Career (Scotland) 
Caps: 61
Goals: 6
International Debut: March 30th, 1983 v. Switzerland
In only his second season as a professional player, Gough was awarded with a call up to the Scotland squad during United's successful 1982-83 season. Making his debut in a 2-2 draw with Switzerland at Hampden just days before his 21st birthday, he missed only five Scotland matches over the next three years, and scored his first International goal in a friendly versus Canada in Edmonton. In 1985 he scored the winning goal over England at Hampden to win the Rous Cup, and played in all three of Scotland's 1986 World Cup Final matches in Mexico. By the time of his transfer to Spurs, he had made 26 appearances for his country whilst at Tannadice, and continued to be an important part of the Scotland squad following his return to Scotland with Rangers. He captained the national side during the 1992 European Championships in his birthplace, Sweden. Gough went on to win a total of 61 caps before ruling himself out of future selection after falling out with the management team in 1993.
Click here for a full list of international matches for this player
Timeline
-
Date of Birth
Richard was born on this date in Stockholm, Sweden.
-
Signed For Dundee United
-
First Team Debut
Dundee United 2 - 3 Celtic
League (Premier Division)
Celtic arrived at Tannadice knowing the league title was within their grasp. Following Celtic's win against Rangers the previous week, they needed just a point from this match to clinch the league.
-
First Goal
Motherwell 1 - 2 Dundee United
League Cup (Section 4)
United maintained their 100% record in the League Cup when completing a hat trick of wins, this time triumphing 2-1 over Motherwell at Fir Park. Manager Jim McLean stayed with the same starting eleven
-
First League Goal
Dundee United 5 - 1 Partick Th
League (Premier Division)
Eamonn Bannon dropped out of the eleven that started against Dundee in midweek, with Ian Gibson coming in to face his former club and his first start of the season. Billy Kirkwood recovered from flu t
-
50th Appearance
Dundee United 3 - 0 St Johnstone
League Cup (Group Stage - Section 4)
United kicked off their League Cup - Section 4 series of matches with a home game against St Johnstone. With a number of injuries affecting Jim McLean's team selection, there were one or two surprises
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50th League Appearance
Dundee United 5 - 0 Motherwell
League (Premier Division)
With Aberdeen having won their match against Kilmarnock, which had kicked off in the afternoon, United had to win their evening home match against Motherwell to regain second place in the Premier Divi
-
International Debut
Richard earned his first International cap for Scotland, playing against Switzerland.
-
100th Appearance
Morton 0 - 4 Dundee United
League (Premier Division)
The Tannadice goal machine moved through to the West as did the Tannadice crowd, thanks to the generous offer of free admission. United covered the cost of around 4,100 fans who made the trip to Morto
-
100th League Appearance
Celtic 1 - 1 Dundee United
League (Premier Division)
Victory was essential for United if they were to overhaul Celtic and claim second place. Despite this, goalmouth activity was at a premium. The first incident of note came after 65 minutes whe
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200th Appearance
Aberdeen 4 - 2 Dundee United
League (Premier Division)
Aberdeen's quest for the Championship took another step towards reality with this win, but the contest was a great deal closer than the scoreline suggests. In an even first half, United with four firs
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Last Goal
Dundee United 2 - 1 Aberdeen
League (Premier Division)
This was decidedly not one of the classic encounters between the two great East coast rivals. Having said that Tannadice fans wouldn't quibble at the outcome which provided a perfect start to the grue
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Left the Club
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Last Appearance
Rangers 2 - 3 Dundee United
League (Premier Division)
Ibrox, so often a burial ground for United hopes appeared to be just so again, well up until the hour mark. In the first half we rarely threatened as Rangers, with their big money buys, were inspired
