Talk of the Town - Richard Dixey Chats with Owen Jephcote

Ahead of Saturday’s fixture away at Kirby Muxloe, Nuneaton Borough legend Richard Dixey chatted with Owen Jephcote to discuss his Boro memories and footballing career. Richard watches Kirby regularly, is keeping a close eye on our progress and will be at Saturday’s game. So grab a cuppa, sit down and have a read…

What are your best memories of playing for Nuneaton?

My best memories of playing for Nuneaton include the match against Maidstone, where we drew 2-2. We needed to win that game to have a chance at securing the league title. At that point, we had two games remaining—one against Maidstone and the season's final match against Runcorn, which we won 1-0. Unfortunately, the draw with Maidstone cost us the opportunity to win the league. I vividly remember a great chance near the end, possibly with Trevor Morley, and had that gone in, we would have won the title.

Despite that disappointment, it was a fantastic game. Another unforgettable memory was playing alongside George Best at the Borough, which was an incredible experience. Additionally, meeting Muhammad Ali was truly special. I was fortunate to be part of some great games at the Borough and cherish those moments.

Richard (centre) pictured here with Muhammed Ali and Boro players Everton Carr and Andy Poole on 7th May 1984 at the Midland Floodlit Cup final against Bedworth United at Manor Park. - Photo thanks to From Town To Town

Who was the best player you played with during your time at Nuneaton?

I had the privilege of playing with many great players at Nuneaton. One of the standouts was my defensive partner, John Glover. He was an excellent player and played a crucial role in our partnership. As a centre-half, I wasn't the quickest, but John made up for that, allowing us to form a strong defensive duo.

Of course, you can't overlook players like Paul Culpin, who was a prolific goal scorer. He was undoubtedly among the best. Then there were Trevor Morley, Richard Hill, and Eddie McGoldrick—fantastic players who contributed to a great team.

Beyond Nuneaton, I played professionally with outstanding footballers like Leighton James and Brian Flynn at Burnley. However, Paul Culpin truly stands out. He was the type of player who could be quiet for most of the game and then suddenly score a hat trick. I still remember a match against Kidderminster—we were 3-1 down, and he turned the game around, scoring a hat trick to help us win 4-3. Those three goals remain some of the best I have ever seen.

Who was the best player you played against during your career?

My most challenging opponents weren't necessarily tall or physical players. I could handle strong, imposing centre-forwards, but the smaller, quicker strikers caused the most difficulty. Non-league football had quite a few of those tricky, agile forwards.

I played professionally against top players like Bob Latchford at Everton and Martin Chivers at Tottenham. While they were undoubtedly talented, their physicality wasn't an issue for me, as I could match up well against that style of play.

However, the players I found most challenging were the smaller, more elusive forwards. One that stands out is John Bartley from Maidstone. He was tricky to deal with and even scored against us when we played them. Quite a few players like him made life difficult for defenders.

How did your time in non-league at the beginning of your career help shape the type of player you were?

I began my career at Wigston Fields, playing for the under-16s before moving on to Enderby Town, where I played for the under-18s in the Floodlit League. I also played a few times for the first team in the Southern League, which was a valuable experience—especially as I was only 16 or 17 then.

At Enderby Town, we had a strong squad, and playing alongside talented teammates helped me develop as a player. That experience laid a solid foundation for my career, instilling discipline and teaching me to understand my strengths and areas for improvement.

At Wigston Fields, we also had a fantastic under-16s side managed by John Goodman, who became my mentor. He played a key role in getting me noticed by Burnley, bringing scouts to watch me before moving to Kettering Town. I was very fortunate to play with some excellent players, and those early experiences were instrumental in shaping the type of player I became.

At the end of 1974, your performances caught the attention of Burnley, with whom you signed a professional contract after a successful trial. Four months later, you made your debut against Carlisle before featuring against the likes of Everton and Tottenham. At a young age, what was this experience like for you?

As I mentioned, my performances at the end of 1974 caught Burnley's attention. At the time, I was playing for Leicestershire Schoolboys at Worcester. Dave Blakey, the club's chief scout, came down to watch me several times. He invited me and another player, Barry Holyland, to Burnley for a two-week trial. Unfortunately, Barry wasn't offered a contract, but I was.

I spent nearly two years at Burnley, primarily playing in the reserves. However, I did make three first-team appearances. My debut was against Carlisle, their only season in the First Division. I remember that match well because Chris Balderstone, who played for Carlisle, later joined Enderby Town, where I reconnected with him. They also had another excellent player, Raymond Train. The match was played in front of a packed house of 14,000 fans at Carlisle, and unsurprisingly, I was booked that day. It was a great experience, despite us losing 4-2. Burnley was doing well then, sitting third or fourth in the league.

My second game was against Everton on a Friday night, just before the Grand National. Bob Latchford and Colin Dobson, a former Burnley player, were playing. We had a strong side and secured a 1-1 draw. Playing in front of 50,000 fans was an incredible experience—the atmosphere was electric.

The third game was against Tottenham, which we won 3-2. Pat Jennings was their goalkeeper, and they had top players like Martin Chivers and Steve Perryman. That match was even featured on Match of the Day, which made it even more special.

Everything happened so quickly, as I was only 18 or 19. However, those were fantastic experiences, and I have great memories of my time at Burnley, which I truly cherish.

While at Burnley, I was also sent on loan to Stockport County, who were in the Fourth Division then. Over three months, I played around 14 or 15 games, another valuable experience. I faced some talented players and battled against hardened professionals, which helped me develop. Playing in that kind of environment required you to be tough and able to take care of yourself.

After a loan spell with Stockport County, you were released from Burnley in 1976. You then went on to play for Kettering Town, going to Wembley to face Stafford Rangers in the FA Trophy final, where the Rangers came out on top. What was that experience like? Can you put it into words?

After leaving Stockport, I was released from Burnley and joined Kettering Town, where Derek Dougan was the manager. He was quite a character—a great guy.

We were the only team to travel to Northern Ireland then. We went on a tour there, and if it hadn't been for Derek (born in Northern Ireland), we would not have felt as safe. I remember staying in a lovely hotel, and we played four games. One was in Belfast, and I recall some events happening around us.

Fortunately, we didn't have any problems. The people there welcomed us, and it turned out to be a great experience. After that, Derek left, and Mick Jones (not the Mick Jones from Leeds, but the one who played for Derby County and Notts County) took over as manager.

One of Mick's first tasks was to take me to Lancaster Gate, the FA head office, because I had received a few bookings and had to attend a hearing. I remember one of the panel members telling me that some were directors of major clubs. He asked, "Dixie, have you ever considered golf?" It was a real eye-opener. After the hearing, Mick told me he didn't realise I was in so much trouble. Nonetheless, he helped me out, and while it didn't completely fix everything, it improved by at least 50 per cent.

But then, Mick took us to Wembley, and that was an incredible journey. I'll never forget the semi-final. We first played Dagenham at their place and drew 0-0. Then, in the second leg at Kettering, in front of around 7 or 8 thousand fans, we won 1-0, thanks to a goal from Billy Kellock that sent us through. It was fantastic to experience the build-up to the game, the journey down there, and a tradition we had of never stopping for meals on the way to away games—only having KitKats. Nestlé even gave us a presentation box of KitKats, which I still have somewhere as a keepsake.

Unfortunately, the final didn't go as we had hoped. We lost 2-0, with Alf Wood scoring both goals. I can imagine the headline now: "Kettering cut down by Alf Wood." But it was still a great memory. We played well, and I had a chance to score. I remember being about 8 yards out and blundering it over the crossbar. We had a few chances to win, but it was an unforgettable experience in the end.

You then spent time with Scarborough Athletic, facing your former club, Burnley, in the first round of the FA Cup in 1980. Your team lost 1-0. Did you feel you had a point to prove in that game?

At Kettering, Mick Jones moved on to manage a football league club, possibly Peterborough or somewhere similar. This led to Colin Clark becoming the new player-manager. Unfortunately, Colin was a centre-half, so I didn't see myself as a regular in the team anymore. That's when I made the move to Scarborough. Colin Appleton, the manager at the time, and his brother Dave Appleton were from Leicester, where I grew up, so that's how the contact was made. I believe there was a £5,000 transfer fee involved.

Scarborough was fantastic. I trained at Enderby Town but commuted up to Scarborough in a hire car, picking up two or three other players. Out of the whole team, only one player was actually from Scarborough. The rest came from all over, including six from Newcastle, Gordon Livsey (the goalkeeper from Kettering), and a player from Hull. It was a great experience, and when we played down south, they'd pick us up at Leicester Forest East, which worked well for me.

As for the game against Burnley, yes, it would have been nice to beat them. We gave it a good go, and they weren't a bad side at the time. It was a great match, and we enjoyed it.

Later, when I was the caretaker manager at Scarborough, I remember playing Burnley at home after either Graham or Pete Morris had left. We lost 3-2 in that match, though I wasn't playing because I was injured.

You always want to perform well, and when Nuneaton signed me, one of my first games was against Scarborough. We won 3-0, and I scored twice—once with a volley and once with a header, which was rare. As you can imagine, that didn't go down well at Scarborough, but that's football!

Photo provided by From Town To Town

You joined Nuneaton in 1981 for a then-record fee of £9,500. You had a seven-year stint with the club, but how did having a record transfer fee attached to your name affect you as a player?

At the time, £9,500 was a significant sum, though it doesn't seem like much today, especially when you look at the fees for players from league clubs, which have increased dramatically since then. I didn't think much about the fee at the time. The fact that Nuneaton paid that amount meant they believed in me, and that motivated me to give my best.

I always gave 100%—and often 110%—during my time at the club, and I think that mindset helped me succeed. Looking back, I can confidently say I did my best and hope that showed in my performances.

After retirement, how difficult was it to adapt to a life where you no longer played football, and what skills and experiences can you take from your playing days into the world of work?

After leaving Borough, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to join Atherstone with Ron Bradbury. Atherstone was a great club, so I was lucky to have played for Kettering, Scarborough, Nuneaton, and Atherstone during my career.

While I was at Kettering, the PFA funded a training course for me, a welding course I took in the evenings. The instructor asked me if I could teach the course on Tuesday and Friday nights, and I thought, "Why not?" I was only in my early twenties then, and that decision set me on the path to lecturing.

I had previously trained as an engineer, so I had that qualification, which helped me transition. I got a job at Leicester College as a heating and ventilating technician. I gained qualifications and experience in the field, which made the shift from playing football to working feel more natural.

Balancing work and football was a nice combination, giving me something to fall back on after my playing days ended. I secured a lecturing position in 1989, and I've been in that role ever since. I consider myself lucky that I adapted well to life after football.

I do miss the game, particularly the camaraderie of being around players. After Atherstone, I joined Leicester United with my friend John Flanagan, the manager. I was his assistant briefly, but when John was sacked, they asked me to take over as manager. I turned them down and decided to focus on my studies to get my teaching qualifications.

Managing a team is a different challenge from playing. As a player, you show up, do your bit, train, and then leave. As a manager, there's so much more responsibility. However, the communication skills and the camaraderie I developed as a player immensely helped me in this role.

Can you encourage our junior section players in the early stages of their development and careers?

For any young player, it's all about dedication. I didn't have the most incredible skills, but I made the most of the abilities I did have, and I was fortunate to have great players around me. That combination worked well for me.

As soon as I crossed that white line, I was a different person, as many supporters would probably agree, including away supporters. I was determined to win. I wouldn't describe myself as a nasty player, but I was uncompromising and loved the battle, especially as a centre forward. And, as I said, I played with some fantastic players and had great managers along the way—Derek Dougan and Mick Jones at Kettering, Graham Carr, and Ron Bradbury. I was very fortunate.

So, to any young players, give it your best shot. Nowadays, many of you have fantastic technical skills, which is brilliant. Even my grandsons have excellent technical abilities—they've grown up with it. But you've also got to have that desire, which either comes naturally or you must work at it.

Just stay determined, give it your best effort, work hard, and train hard. That's what I did—I worked and trained hard, ensuring I was in peak condition to handle anything that came my way.

Living in the Kirby area, I'm sure you have been to many games involving our opponents on Saturday. Are there any key players Town fans should be aware of?

I often go to watch their games. I enjoy watching them play because they adopt an open style of football. On their 3G pitch, the ball moves quickly, allowing for a fast-paced game. I'm unsure how I would have coped playing on a 3G surface myself!

Kirby Muxloe has two standout players up front—twin brothers, one on the right wing and the other on the left. On their day, they can be a real handful. They are both strong, physical players with a direct play style, making them difficult to defend against.

I'm looking forward to the game—it should be a good one.

Thoughts on the new fan-owned club?

It's fantastic because, ultimately, the heart of the club is the supporters—the fans. Without them, there wouldn't be a club. I fully support it, and it's wonderful to see. I'll be keeping an eye on how it progresses and will definitely support Nuneaton in any way I can to help it get back to where it once was.

It's excellent, so keep up the good work!

Would a version of yourself in your prime get into the 2024/25 Nuneaton Town Starting XI? If so, what qualities would you add to the side?

I want to think I'd make it into the team. From what I've seen, they're doing well. The defenders have been excellent, and the strikers are scoring freely. If I were to join the side, I'd bring a strong defensive presence. I was known as an uncompromising centre-half and didn't tend to give much away. So, I'd like to add that solidity and determination to the team. I wish them all the best in their pursuit of success.

Closing thoughts?

I want to thank all the supporters, especially those from Nuneaton. You're doing a fantastic job—keep up the great work. I'll be following you all the way and will come over at some point to watch a game. I'll be keeping an eye on your progress.

If you need any support from me or other ex-players, you'll certainly have it. I'm grateful for the opportunity to play at the Borough and experience everything we did.

I wish you all the best and hope to see you on Saturday. Cheers!