Richard Goddard (footballer)

Richard Anthony Goddard (born 30 January 1978 in Scarborough, Tobago) is a former Trinidad and Tobago football goalkeeper who last played for the Vancouver Whitecaps. He has served as Senior Development and Goalkeeper Coach for North Vancouver Football Club and is currently Head Football Development Coach for Bishop's High School in Trinidad and Tobago.

He played college soccer with Roberts Wesleyan College from 1999-2001, where he was a 3 time NAIA All-American, NCCAA All-American and 2-time NAIA Region IX Player of the Year.

Goddard began his pro career in 2001 when he signed for the Ottawa Wizards of the Canadian Professional Soccer League. He was part of the Ottawa team that won the double — Regular Season Championship and Open Canada Cup, and led them to a 20–2 record. In 2002 he was signed by the Charlotte Eagles of the USL A-League, in his rookie season he led the Eagles to the playoffs for 2nd straight season, started 27 of 28 regular season matches, accumulating a 10–13–4 record and a 1.59 GAA with 3 shutouts, and he was named twice Goalkeeper of the Week. Goddard moved to the sidelines in 2003 where he was the head coach of the Ottawa Internationals U18 Girls in the Ligue Soccer Elite du Quebec (LSEQ) and assistant/goalkeeper coach for the University of Ottawa Women's team that finished second in the CIS. In 2006 Goddard joined the University of Toronto Varsity Blues Women's Soccer Program as their Goalkeeper Coach. The Varsity Blues were knocked out in the Ontario semis.

In 2004 Goddard signed for the Toronto Lynx where he served as a backup to Bryheem Hancock for most of the season. He made his debut in 5–1 victory over the Puerto Rico Islanders on 6 June. But on 30 June he was released from his contract after struggling to hold a starting position. The following season he re-signed with the Lynx under new coach Hubert Busby Jr.. During the season the Lynx finished with a worst 3 wins, 17 losses, and 8 ties the worst performance in league and club history and a 12th place finish. In 2006 he helped the Lynx post a 10-game home undefeated streak and led the Lynx to the Open Canada Cup final but lost (did not play) to 2–0 to Ottawa St. Anthony Italia. After the 2006 season the Lynx franchise dropped two divisions down to the PDL, releasing all their all players.

In 2007 Goddard signed with the 2006 USL Division 1 champions the Vancouver Whitecaps. He competed for a starting position with Matt Nelson, and Lutz Pfannenstiel, but eventually he served as backup to Nelson. Goddard was brought back into the 2008 Vancouver Whitecaps team early in the season due to an injury to their starting GK Jay Nolly by new coach Teitur Thordarson, but was released just before the USL Division 1 roster freeze deadline. Vancouver went on to win their 3rd USL Division 1 Championship in the team's history.

Beside works as Goalkeeper Coach by North Shore Soccer Development Centre, he was trained at St. Clair's Coaching School, Tobago. He was member alongside with Tab Ramos by the All-America Soccer Workshop at Best Western Lehigh Valley Hotel & Conference Center on Routes 22 and 512 in Bethlehem, Pa. He was the Head coach of the U-16 Girls for Mountain WFC, and was formerly a Goalkeeper Coach at University of Ottawa in 2003.

Goddard is currently working as the Head Football Development Coach for Bishop's High School, Tobago since 2012 (his alma matar).

Club

Ottawa Wizards

• Rogers Cup Champion: 2001
• Open Canada Cup – Champion: 2001

Toronto Lynx

• Open Canada Cup – Runner-up: 2006
• Voyageurs Cup – Runner-up: 2006

Richard is the brother-in-law of former Trinidad and Tobago footballer Wendell Moore and the uncle of the US youth national player Shaquell Moore.