GREGORY ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson is unarguably the most people-player of his generation. The 32-year-old striker is one of the country’s most storied football players but now, Richardson is on a new path – a path that he hopes will leave a lasting impression on his illustrious career. After dominating the local scene, Richardson departed Guyana in 2007 for Trinidad and Tobago, where he competed in the Island’s professional league (TT Pro-League) with Joe Public FC which was owned by embattled former FIFA top brass, Jack Warner.
The slender built player who many only refer to as ‘Jackie Chan’, while playing for Joe Public in the 2008-2009 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round, caught the attention of the foot-balling world when he scored a hat-trick against Major League Soccer’s (MLS) New England Revolution in Joe Public’s 4-0 win .
The MLS beckoned, and Richardson was then on a pedestal; reaching heights the other great players from Guyana have never before seen.
After tryouts at Toronto FC, Richardson landed a deal with the Colorado Rapids in 2009. Colorado sent their natural second round 2010 Super Draft pick to Toronto FC.
Richardson made his MLS debut on March 21 2009, in Colorado’s first game of the 2009 MLS season against Chivas USA.
Fast-forward six years later, Richardson, after dominating the North American Soccer League (NASL) with the Carolina RailHawks and Puerto Rico Islanders, the striker returned home to lead Alpha United to the CFU and CONCACAF Champions League.
But now back ‘home’ with Pele FC, the forward is at peace with the club he has helped to propel to the STAG Elite League.
Pele FC are presently on 21 points and the envy of most clubs, since they are equipped with the league’s leading goalscorer.
“I’ve made some mistakes, but I have to move on,” Richardson said while appearing on a television show on the National Communications Network (NCN).
The striker was responding to questions about taking the game seriously and proving his critics wrong.
“Plenty people wrote me off. They say that I’m washed up and that my days done, but as long as I’m good, I will always be the best,” Richardson said.
Clearly, the forward is living up to his words with his performance in the STAG Elite League unmatched at the moment.
However, according to Richardson, his intention is to not only show Guyana that he has put his past behind him, but to be a leader on his team.
“A lot of the players in the club look up to me and right now it is not even about me; it’s about Pele going all the way and winning the league. The team is training hard and everyone is working towards winning the league, so for me, I just go out and do what I have to, to help the team win,” said Richardson.
With four more rounds left to be played, Pele FC will be hard-pressed to continue their good showing and finish in the ‘top four’ at the end of November.