Richard Mathers

Former England international rugby league footballer

Richard 'Richie' Mathers (born 24 October 1983) is an English former professional rugby league footballer. he started his professional career at the Leeds Rhinos, with whom he won the 2004 Championship. He played as a for a number of clubs throughout his career.

Mathers was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.

Mathers first started off his rugby league career at amateur rugby league club Milford Marlins and East Leeds. Mathers is one of numerous players who rose through the ranks at Leeds. A star of the academy, with whom he played in two consecutive Grand Final wins with, he broke into the first team at the end of 2002 after a loan spell with Warrington.

After making seven appearances with the Warrington club, Mathers rejoined the Leeds Rhinos, scoring a try in just his second appearance. The following season Mathers became a first team regular and his form in 2004 was such that the Leeds club allowed the former Wigan Warriors "star Gary Connolly to depart. He ended that year with many predicting that the would be a star for the Leeds side for many years to come and not only was he named the Evening Post Shooting Star winner, after only missing four matches all season, he was also part of the Leeds Grand Final winning squad. Mathers played in Leeds 16–8 victory over the Bradford side in the 2004 Super League Grand Final during 2004's Super League IX at Old Trafford, Manchester on Saturday 16 October 2004, in front of a crowd of 65,547. By 2005 Mathers was promoted to the number one shirt and was one of the first names on the team sheet, only missing one match all season. One of the highlights of the years was when he helped the team to victory in the 2005 World Club Challenge when he scored a try against the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs at his beloved Elland Road, Leeds. Mathers played for the Leeds side as a in their 2005 Challenge Cup Final defeat against Hull FC. Mathers played for the Leeds club as a in their 2005 Super League Grand Final defeat against Bradford. In the middle of 2006's Super League XI, Mathers injured his knee against Hull F. C. at Headingley, which not only ended his season but also his Leeds career. In 2007, he made his début for the new National Rugby League (NRL) team the Gold Coast.

Mathers did not play for the Gold Coast club for much of the start of the season, but an injury to regular Preston Campbell allowed Mathers to make his début for the Gold Coast. Mathers played five rounds and appeared to be gaining confidence and good form until he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. This injury was similar to the injury that occurred while he was playing for Leeds and kept him out for the rest of the season. Mathers team mates offered to pay for Mathers to travel home before he begins the long road to recovery. On 6 November 2007, the Titans released Mathers from his contract and a few hours later Wigan announced that they had signed Richie on a three year contract. He only played five matches for the Gold Coast side due to rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee which required a full knee reconstruction.

Wigan (Heritage No. 1003) had a vacancy following the departure of Chris Ashton to rugby union, and the retirement of Michael Withers, although Pat Richards did a sterling job for Wigan during the last two months of the 2007 season. Mathers made his début in the 42–18 win over Widnes in a friendly scoring two tries. Mathers scored a try in a 47–28 win at Harlequins on his Super League début for Wigan but was sent off for the first time in his career in Round 5 against Warrington for a high tackle on Matt King, for which he received a three match ban. He filled in as a on his return to the side against Wakefield Trinity in Round 9 before reverting to his usual position of However, Mathers was red carded again in Round 25 for leading with an elbow as he attempted to fend off Wakefield's Jason Demetriou, although Wigan still won 32–22 to secure a play off place. Mathers was the only player to be sent off twice during 2008's Super League XIII. Mathers was sin binned during Wigan's opening game of 2009's Super League XIV for a trip on Wakefield Dave Halley. He was cited by the Rugby Football League, and received a two match suspension, ruling him out of games against Hull and Castleford. Warrington signed Mathers on 6 April 2009, with Martin Gleeson going the other way to Wigan, plus a six figure transfer fee to Warrington.

Mathers had to wait more than a month for his Warrington début, when he scored twice against Featherstone Rovers in a Challenge Cup tie on 10 May 2009 and scored the first try in the Challenge Cup Final for Warrington. Mathers played in the 2010 Challenge Cup Final victory over Leeds at Wembley Stadium.

Mathers joined Castleford Tigers (Heritage No. 911) for the 2011 season after he signed a three year deal with the Yorkshire club. He made 22 Super League appearances for the team before being loaned out to Wakefield Trinity for the 2012 season.

Mathers joined Wakefield Trinity for the 2012 season.

On 7 August, Kingstone Press Championship side London Broncos announced the signing of Mathers on a two year deal starting from 2015. Mathers made his London Broncos début in a 26–22 victory over Doncaster at The Hive.