Richard Butcher
Butcher. Was always a big fan of Justin Walker too
— Dave Pickwell (@pickyimp) April 18, 2018
Shortly after Richard Butcher signed, I knew he’d be a personal favourite of mine. He had ability and played with passion and dedication whenever he wore a Lincoln shirt. He had the privilege of playing in a semi-successful team and that added to his persona. He was at Lincoln when everything was right, 2003-2005.
When he left, he was one of the only players who went with good wishes and no animosity at all. He didn’t take more money at the same level, he looked to progress himself and push on with his career. Stepping up to Oldham was a good career move.
When it didn’t work out there he came back home to further cement his legacy. It might only have been on loan but he came back to aid a cause, even earning us a point with a goal at Orient. If money had been no object I wonder if we could have bought him back, there and then. Keith Alexander speculated to that end in his programme notes for the MK Dons FA Cup clash; “Richard Butcher went back to Oldham purely and simply because of the money involved. He was a player we didn’t want to let go in the summer but he went higher up for a lot more money than we could afford to pay. That was understandable but he came back and did a good job for us during his month loan and hopefully at some stage in the future we might be able to get him back permanently. I know the lad is desperate to come back and he could go on and help us to achieve what we’re trying to achieve.”
He didn’t come back, at least not whilst Keith was in charge. He wound up playing for Notts County and when he did come back for Peter Jackson I was over the moon. I knew we weren’t just getting a good player, we were getting a club legend back, a player who would be motivated by the right things. We he wore red and white you knew his head wouldn’t drop and he’d fight for the cause. We were in a bit of a rut at that time and Richard Butcher had only played in successful Imps teams.
His return wasn’t a fairy-tale and after just three months Chris Sutton came in, and within three more moved Butch on. He went to join Macclesfield Town and the old management duo of Keith and Gary Simpson. In my eyes, that makes Chris Sutton a complete and utter ****.
Butch passed far too young, just a few days into January 2011. It is one of those ‘Diana’ moments for me. I will always remember where I was the moment I heard Richard Butcher had passed away. We didn’t just lose an ex-Imp; we didn’t just lose a key figure from our history. We lost a good, honest man who was both humble and approachable. Richard Butcher was a fine man and I was proud to have him represent our club.
I could talk about his goal at Bournemouth that set up that final day clash with Torquay. I could talk about his goal in the play-off semi-final against Huddersfield that gave us belief that we might make a second final. There’s that wonder strike at Field Mill too, what a goal that was!
I won’t talk anymore though, I’ll let you remember him however you would like to.
