Richard Sharpe (born 15 January 1967, in London, England) is an English retired soccer forward whose career in the United States included one season with Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.
Sharpe grew up in England, playing in the West Ham United and Leyton Orient youth systems. He moved to the United States in 1989 where he entered Florida Institute of Technology. Over four seasons, he established himself as the most successful forwards in NCAA Division II history. He holds the NCAA record for season points (112), career points (321), season goals (49) and career goals (137).NCAA Record Book He was a 1991, 1992 and 1993 first team All American.1991 All Americans 1992 All Americans1993 All Americans In 1991, Sharpe and his teammates also won the Division II national championship.
In 1994, Sharpe signed with the Cocoa Expos in the USISL. He promptly scored 33 goals in 15 games, leading the league.1994 USISL Stats He also scored a hat trick at that year's All Star game.SHARPE HAT TRICK STOPS USISL ATLANTIC TEAM Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) – Thursday, 7 July 1994 In 1995, he played only six games, but still scored 14 goals.1995 USISL Stats He then trained with Rochdale A.F.C In March 1996, the Colorado Rapids selected Sharpe in the second round (nineteenth overall) of the 1996 MLS Supplemental Draft. He played seventeen games with the Rapids in 1996, scoring only two goals. On 20 January 1997, the Rapids released Sharpe.RAPIDS RELEASE FORWARD RICHARD SHARPE In February 1997, he signed a two-year contract with the Carolina Dynamo of the USISL A-League.DYNAMO SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED Greensboro News & Record – Saturday, 8 February 1997 He injured his knee in the Dynamo's first game of the season.SHARPE WILL MISS FOUR TO SIX WEEKS WITH KNEE INJURY Greensboro News & Record – Wednesday, 16 April 1997 He returned in June, but injured his back at the beginning of the playoffs.
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