Dean Richards tribute

Details of the tribute to Dean Richards which will take place before kick-off at Sunday’s Barclays Premier League fixture at Wolverhampton Wanderers (kick off 4pm) have been confirmed.

Details of the tribute to Dean Richards which will take place before kick-off at Sunday’s Barclays Premier League fixture at Wolverhampton Wanderers (kick off 4pm) have been confirmed.

Wolves have been in close contact with Dean’s family and friends as well as the other clubs he played for in formulating a tribute in memory of the defender, who passed away at the age of 36 in the early hours of Saturday after a courageous battle with long-term illness.

Dean’s widow Samantha and the couple’s two sons Rio and Jaden are due to attend Sunday’s fixture, and representatives from each of his former clubs – Bradford City, Wolves, Southampton and Spurs – will be present.

One representative from each club is to hold aloft their respective team’s shirt in the centre circle in memory of Dean prior to a minute’s applause taking place before kick off.

These shirts are to be signed by members of the current squads and will then be auctioned off in aid of St Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds where Dean passed away.

We will be represented by Club captain Ledley King, a former team-mate of Dean’s, while other footballing figures expected to be present at the tribute include former Wolves players Matt Murray and Don Goodman, former Wolves and England manager Graham Taylor, former Wolves and Southampton manager Dave Jones, ex-Southampton striker James Beattie, and Bradford City joint-chairman Mark Lawn.

Both sets of players will also be wearing black armbands in tribute to the defender.

Dean’s funeral takes place at Bradford Cathedral at 11am today (Friday).