As a young striker at Bishop Auckland, Fred Richardson got a dream move to Chelsea where he understudied Tommy Lawton before homesickness brought him back to the north-east. He scored 16 goals in 43 league games for Pools in the late 40s, enough to earn him a transfer to Barnsley. After spells at West Brom and Chester he returned to Pools for a second spell in 1952, adding 27 more goals to his tally.