Geoffrey Richmond

Geoffrey Richmond was born in Leeds in March 1941. He grew up a Leeds United supporter and admired the great Welsh forward John Charles. He was educated at Roundhay Grammar School in north Leeds. His exact date of birth has not been widely published.

Richmond began his working life as a salesman, selling children's encyclopedias door to door and later car bulbs and car bumper and window stickers. His big break in business came with Ronson, the lighter brand, which he bought out of receivership for a reported £250,000. His company secured the export rights in 1983 and the UK rights in 1985, and he rebuilt the business before selling it in January 1994 for around £10 million. He had previously retired before turning 40, but returned to business and then to football.

Richmond became chairman of Scarborough, then in the Football League, in 1988. A sponsorship deal with McCain renamed the Athletic Ground the McCain Stadium, nicknamed the "Theatre of Chips". The club's best moments under him came in the League Cup: a 3-2 win over Chelsea in October 1989, later wins over Southampton and Coventry City, and a run to the fourth round in 1992-93, where they lost 1-0 to Arsenal. Crowds averaged only around 1,200. He left in 1994 in a deal with David Simpson, later recalled as selling the club for a pound, as he moved on to Bradford City.

Richmond took over Bradford City on 27 January 1994, cleared its debts and loaned the club £2.3 million. At his first home game, against Hartlepool United on 5 February 1994, he let children in free and told supporters: "There is no reason why this club cannot be playing Premier League football in the next five years."

He replaced Frank Stapleton with Lennie Lawrence and, when Lawrence left for Luton Town in November 1995, promoted assistant Chris Kamara. Kamara won the Division Two play-off final against Notts County 2-0 at Wembley on 26 May 1996, the club's first game at the stadium. Richmond reportedly told the players before kick-off that they could play Bury or Manchester City next season and it was up to them.

In January 1998 he sacked Kamara and elevated Paul Jewell, who signed Lee Mills, Isaiah Rankin and Stuart McCall. On 9 May 1999 a 3-2 win at Wolves secured promotion to the top flight for the first time in 77 years. On 14 May 2000 David Wetherall's header beat Liverpool 1-0 to keep the club up. Richmond also redeveloped Valley Parade, raising its capacity to more than 25,000.

After Jewell left for Sheffield Wednesday in 2000, Richmond appointed Chris Hutchings and funded a spending spree: David Hopkin for a club record £2.5 million, Ashley Ward for £1.5 million, Dan Petrescu, and Benito Carbone on wages reported at £40,000 a week. Bradford played in the Intertoto Cup, their first European competition, reaching the semi-finals against Zenit Saint Petersburg. Results collapsed, Hutchings was sacked, and under Jim Jefferies the club were relegated in 2001. With the collapse of ITV Digital in 2002, Bradford went into administration. Richmond later said: "I will never, ever, forgive myself for spending the money we did. Looking back now, it was six weeks of madness and I hold my hands up."

The administrator's report showed that dividends of £8.125 million had been paid in 1999 and 2000, shared between Richmond, his son David and David and Julian Rhodes. In May 2003 Richmond lost a High Court case brought by the Inland Revenue concerning Loquitur Ltd, in which the judge found he had not acted "in all respects honestly and reasonably". In April 2004 he was declared bankrupt, owing about £3.3 million to the Inland Revenue, including around £1 million in interest. He also argued publicly for a breakaway "Phoenix League" that could include Celtic and Rangers.

Richmond was linked with roles at Notts County and Leeds United, and in 2004 acted as an unpaid adviser to the Gerald Krasner consortium that took over Leeds. He was chairman and a player at New Rover Cricket Club in Adel, Leeds, where the ground became known as the "Richmond Oval".

Richmond was married to Elizabeth, with whom he had a son, Michael. From his first marriage, to Barbara, he had three children: David, Dawn and Deborah.

The University of Bradford awarded him an honorary Doctor of Letters in July 2000, after Bradford City reached the Premier League.

Geoffrey Richmond died on Friday 30 October 2026, aged 85. Bradford City announced his death on 1 November 2026. The place and cause of death were not made public. Bradford City, Scarborough Athletic and many supporters paid tribute, with many saying he gave them the dream of Premier League football while acknowledging the cost that followed.

Richmond is remembered at Valley Parade as the most influential owner in Bradford City's history, for good and bad. He delivered promotion to the top flight within his promised five years and two seasons of Premier League football, then presided over the spending that left the club in administration. Supporters still debate whether the glory years were worth the decline that followed.