Richard James Howard was born on June 10, 1943 in Bromborough, Cheshire, England. While teaching in the Wirrals he joined Chester City in the English Fourth Division.
6-foot-2 goalkeeper Dick played in one game in the English Football League for Chester City in the 1965-66 season.
He moved to Canada to coach at Crescent School, a private school in Toronto, from 1966 to 1967.
In 1967 Dick starred for Hamilton Primos in the National Soccer League. He had 15 shutouts during the season. Hamilton Primos reached the 1967 NSL playoff finals but lost to Windsor Teutonia.
After the NSL season Dick joined Rochester Lancers in the American Soccer League. He played in four league games and only let in two goals during the 1967-68 season.
In March 1968 he signed for Detroit Cougars. Dick was the back-up goalkeeper for the Cougars in the 1968 North American Soccer League season. While first-choice goalkeeper Jim Standen, a former West Ham United star, was injured, Dick played in six league games.
In September 1968 he rejoined American Soccer League club Rochester Lancers. In November he signed a contract as the assistant coach for the Lancers. He renewed his contract with the Lancers in March 1969.
In 1970 he earned BSc in Physcial Education at Brockport College, New York.
In 1970 Rochester Lancers moved from the American Soccer League to the North American Soccer League. Dick started Lancers’ first fifteen North American Soccer League games. He was then replaced by Brazilian Claude Campos for the remaining nine regular season league games. He finished sixth in the goalkeeping standings with a 1.80 Goals Against Average and two shutouts.
On March 18, 1971 he signed a one-year contract with Toronto Metros, who had recently joined the North American Soccer League. Dick played in eleven league games, he had a 1.31 Goals Against Average and posted two shutouts.
From 1971 to 1972 he was a physical education teacher at R.J. Lang Junior High School in Toronto.
Dick became a Canadian citizen in 1972.
On May 3, 1973 Dick signed a new contract with Toronto Metros for the 1973 North American Soccer League season. He started in seventeen of the Metros 19 regular season league games.
During the 1974 season Dick had 28 saves in six league games for the Toronto Metros. He let in nine goals.
Dick later became a goalkeeper coach for Toronto Blizzard. He then spent many years working for the Canadian Soccer Association and as a commentator.