Richard West (born 19 July 1985) is a former Jamaican footballer who played as a forward.
Club career
Youth
West played his youth football with Kingston College in 2001.[1]
Jamaica
West began playing in the KSAFA Super League with Santos F.C. in 2002.[2] In his debut season, he helped Santos win the league title after defeating Boys' Town with West providing the goal in overtime.[3] He re-signed with Santos for the 2003 season.[4] West helped Santos reach the championship final for the second consecutive season and scored the winning goal against Harbour View.[5] In late 2003, he re-signed the club for his third season.[6]
In September 2004, he played in the country's top-flight league with Waterhouse.[7][8] The following season he signed with league rivals Harbour View.[9] In his debut season with Harbour View, he assisted the team in finishing second in the regular season standings.[10]
After a season with Harbour View, he joined with Tivoli Gardens in 2006.[11] In 2008, he played with Scotiabank Football Club in the KSAFA lower leagues.[12] West helped Scotiabank win the league title in 2009.[13] In 2010, he won his second league title with Scotiabank and finished as the clubs top goals scorer.[14]
Canada
West ventured abroad to play in the Canadian Soccer League with Brampton City United in 2011.[15][16] In his debut season in the Canadian circuit, he finished as the club's top goal scorer and second in the league scoring charts with 17 goals.[17] He helped Brampton secure a playoff berth by finishing fourth in the league's first division.[18] Brampton's playoff campaign concluded in the opening round after losing the two-game series to the Serbian White Eagles.[19]
After a season with Brampton, he signed with league rivals the Serbian White Eagles.[20] West would finish once more at the top of the league scoring charts finishing fourth with 15 goals.[21] He helped the Serbs in clinching a postseason berth by finishing sixth.[22] In the playoff quarterfinal round, West produced the winning goal against SC Toronto which advanced the club to the next round.[23] The Serbs were eliminated from the competition in the following round by Toronto Croatia.[24]
York Region Shooters
The following season he was transferred over to York Region Shooters.[25] West would finish at the top of the league scoring charts for the third consecutive season as the club's top goal scorer with 19 goals. The Vaughan-based club would secure a playoff berth by finishing as runner's up in the division.[26] Their playoff run ended in the first round after a defeat in penalties by London City.[27]
West re-signed with Vaughan for the 2014 season.[28] He helped the Shooters produce a perfect season by initially securing the divisional title.[29] In the preliminary round of the postseason, he contributed a goal against his former team Brampton that helped advance the club to the next round.[30] Their opponents in the next round were the North York Astros where they defeated them.[31] He would appear in the championship final and score the equalizing goal against Toronto Croatia that sent the match to a penalty shootout where York Region would win the title.[32][33]
York Region re-signed West for his third season in 2015.[34] West finished the campaign as the league's top goal scorer with 23 goals.[35][36] He also assisted the club in securing a playoff berth by finishing third in the division.[37] West produced a hat trick in the quarterfinal match against Burlington SC that helped advance the club to the next round.[38][36] In the semifinal round, York Region was eliminated from the tournament by Toronto Croatia.[39] The 2016 season marked his fourth year with the Vaughan-based club.[40] In his fourth season, he helped the club secure the divisional title.[41] York Region defeated Milton SC in the playoff quarterfinals where West contributed a goal.[42] Their playoff run ended in the following round after a defeat by Hamilton City.[43] His final run with York Region was in the 2017 season.[44] York Region would win the championship title after defeating Scarborough SC.[45]
West was selected to represent the Jamaica national football team and debuted on October 2, 2004, against Guatemala in a friendly match.[51][52] He made his second and final appearance for the senior team in the 2005 Caribbean Cup against Saint Martin.[53] In the tournament's opening match, he recorded his first goal for the senior team on November 24, 2004, in a 12–0 victory.[53][49][54] Ultimately, the senior team would qualify for the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup by winning the tournament.[55]