Matters came to a head during the 2001-02 winter, when the club had fallen into the hands of a controversial Australian, Tony Petty. The groundwork put in by Richard and others proved crucial as the supporters' trust became a rallying point for fans. There were protest meetings, marches and fundraising schemes, and the trust led the fight to ensure the club's survival. It was rewarded by becoming a partner in the locally based consortium that took the club over. Without Richard's energy and belief, the trust is unlikely to have played such a key role in events.
Richard also joined the board of Supporters Direct, the government-sponsored organisation set up to assist supporter groups in founding trusts. He was convinced that the trust movement was key to a vision for football as an interactive community activity counterposed to the excesses at the top end of the game.
Born and raised in Swansea, Richard attended Bishop Gore school, where he developed into a keen footballer despite rugby being the dominant sporting ethos. After graduating in maths at Newcastle University, he qualified as a chartered accountant in the mid-1970s and set up practice in the Kingston-Upon-Thames area. From 1994 to 1998, he was a Liberal Democrat local councillor, and also a long-term school governor.
Richard believed in institutions belonging to local communities, not bureaucrats or businessmen. His disarming humour was among his most effective weapons. He is survived by his partner Jenny, his mother and his sister Brenda.