The Longside Reference

Name : Richard Jon Eckersley

Claret Stat: Born in Salford, Greater Manchester, he joined the club as a trainee in July 2005, on 15 February 2007 he made his first appearance for the reserve team, when he played in a goalless draw away to Bolton Wanderers.

On 8 May 2007, he was named at right back for the final of the Manchester Senior Cup against Manchester City, a game he would end up on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline.

2007/08 saw Eckersley make the transition form U18 player to reserve team player making 23 appearances in all competitions as the team reached the final of the Lancashire Senior Cup and the final of the Manchester Senior Cup. Eckersley played in both matches, and finally got his hands on a Manchester Senior Cup winners' medal at the second time of asking.

Richard only played twice for Manchester United but was an unused sub in the champions league against Roma in 2008, and also on the bench the first team's 3–1 League Cup third round win over Middlesbrough.

The first of Richards two appearances came in an FA Cup fixture at home to Tottenham Hotspur on 24 January 2009, coming on as a 53rd-minute substitute for fellow debutant Fábio da Silva.

His league debut came three days later, on 27 January 2009, when he came on as a 71st-minute substitute for Gary Neville in a 5–0 win over West Bromwich Albion.

Manchester United thought highly or Richard, they offered him a contract at the end of 2008/09 which he turned down to come to Burnley on a 4 year deal, but as he is under the age of 24, his old club are entitled to compensation from Burnley, which was set at an initial fee of £500.000.

Richard made his Claret Debut against lower league Hartlepool United, a game where a weakened side was put out, but it looked for quite a while Burnley would go out, until Owen Coyle brought on the 'Big Guns', one of those Steven Fletcher netted twice to send Burnley through, but for Eckersley it was a debut to forget, as he was sent off for two bookable offences.

Richard is still to make his league debut for Burnley all his first team appearances have come in early cup rounds.

On 5 March 2010, Eckersley joined Plymouth Argyle on a one-month loan deal as cover for the injured Reda Johnson,  The move also allows Eckersley much-needed match experience, having made just three cup appearances for Burnley since joining from Manchester United, in 2009, the loan spell was extended till the end of 2010.

The following season Richard played just one first team game away against Morecambe in the league cup, In November 2010, he had another loan spell, this time with League one side Bradford City, returning in January, after his three months was up.  In March 2011, Richard moved on loan again this time to Bury who were challanging for promotion from league two.