Richard is a Consultant to the Sports Business Group, following his retirement as a Partner in July 2005.  He has specialised in the taxation of sport for the last twenty five years and has worked closely with Gerry Boon since the formation of our specialist Group 15 years ago. 

Richard first advised a professional football club in 1979, followed closely by becoming tax adviser to the English Football Association whom he has advised ever since.  He also advised the FA Premier League on its tax affairs and many other sports governing bodies (in cricket, rugby union and horseracing, for example) as well as UK Sport.  He advised London 2012 on the tax aspects of its successful bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2012, and was the tax expert representing London 2012 at the IOC Evaluation Committee visit in February 2005.

His work with professional football clubs, the FA Premier League and the Football Association, has enabled him to identify issues common within the industry which should be approached centrally for the benefit of everyone.  For example, he has led discussions with the tax authorities on behalf of football, in relation to capital allowances for expenditure on stadia and tax deductions for the purchase of players' registrations, and the taxation of agents fees.

Richard has also worked tirelessly within sport generally to secure tax concessions and to clarify areas of doubt and is currently contimuing this work in his capacity as an individual member of the Central Council of Physical Recreation. For example, he agreed with the Inland Revenue Head Office the way in which National Lottery grants received by leading sportsmen and sportswomen would be taxed. He has worked successfully to secure tax and business rates concessions for Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) either through changes to the tax legislation or the Charity Commission's rules.  Richard takes a keen personal interest in all sport.