It’s one of the most commonly uttered phrase’s in relation to football, but the old adage of it being ‘a funny old game’ certainly rings true. Take Damien Richardson for example. The Cork City manager capped off another largely successful season with last Sunday’s hard-fought victory over Longford Town in the FAI Cup Final at the RDS Showgrounds.

In front of a drenched, but rapturous crowd, City secured their second trophy in three years, guaranteeing them access to the highly charged (and lucrative) world of European football once more. It also saw Damien continue his love affair with the competition, his fifth success as both a player and a manager. And yet, as we go to print there remains serious doubts over whether City will retain the services of the clubs most successful manager ever. Is there any other profession where a scenario such as the above would ever be seriously considered?

Sunday’s victory was all the more remarkable when one considers the tumultuous lead-up to the final, which saw the club’s future plunged into serious doubt with contractual disputes affecting both coaching and playing staff. It says much about Damien, and indeed the players, that they were able to overcome these considerable hurdles. But then Damien has been there and done it all before. The current situation at City is nothing new to the Dubliner. But just as he talks the talk, Damien also walks the walk and on Sunday’s evidence he has successfully instilled a solid, battling mentality in his squad. 

At 25 Damien moved across the pond where he took up residence in the third division with Gillingham. As his career progressed, Damien also earned three Irish caps. Having already been a part of the Irish squad while at Rovers, Damien was all too aware of the rigorous demands of professional football. “I was aware that going full-time would change me. Working with the likes of Giles and Brady, I saw the levels of concentration that players at that level possessed. I gained a stone within about six weeks of joining Gillingham. I learned then that to play at this level your whole life needs to revolve around the profession.”

Damien eventually retired from full time football at the age of 32, and subsequently moved onto the non-league circuit, an experience he remembers fondly. “I went back to playing part-time. Having been a two-club man my whole career, I then roamed around the non-league circuit. I wanted to experience different clubs and different people and I learned a lot in those times. The real-beauty of non-league football is that money was never a motivating factor and everyone played for the love of the game. It was probably the most fun I had as a footballer.”

Going part time also allowed Damien to get his coaching badges. He was to get his start in the London schools, where he coached for five years. Then Gillingham came calling. However, coaching was to come at a cost…literally. “I was selling double glazing windows while playing in the non-leagues. Financially I was doing very well for myself, probably the best I’ve ever done. Then I got the call from Gillingham asking me to become their youth team coach in 1987. I was offered the job full time, but it meant taking a substantial pay-cut. So I discussed it with the family, and when they gave me their blessing I took the position. I went from having a BMW Seven Series to a Vauxhall. But I thoroughly enjoyed it, because I was helping young players there to form careers.”