Bradford City: Geoffrey Richmond’s withering put-down hit Hopkin like a slap in the face (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford City: Geoffrey Richmond’s withering put-down hit Hopkin like a slap in the face

10:10am Saturday 15th September 2012 in Sport By Simon Parker, Bradford City Reporter

Simon Parker column: I stumbled across a delicious tale about Geoffrey Richmond in the autobiography of former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan.

The perma-tanned mobile phone magnate ruffled plenty of football feathers during his tenure at Selhurst Park and he shoots from the lip in his book “Be Careful What You Wish For”.

But even Jordan and his massive ego was trumped by his first meeting with the erstwhile City chairman when Palace wanted to buy back David Hopkin.

City’s £2m record signing was raking in £16,000 a week and Richmond was desperate to shift him off the books. He was ready to snatch off Jordan’s hand for their £1.5m offer.

The only problem, according to Jordan, was that Hopkin did not want to return to south London.

Richmond, who reminded Jordan of Margaret Thatcher’s press secretary Bernard Ingham, listened as Hopkin explained how happy he was to stay at Valley Parade .

Then, to quote Jordan, an “instantaneously incandescent” chairman announced: “I don’t like you and I have never liked you. If you want to stay then by all means stay. But I promise you I will make your life a ******* misery.”

Hopkin was shocked by the ferocious reaction and stuttered: “But I have never met you, chairman.”

Richmond boomed back: “I don’t care, I don’t like you.”

A stunned Hopkin left the room with Palace assistant manager Ray Houghton and Richmond winked at Jordan. Within minutes the player came back in and agreed to sign.

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