"One day I will play for Ghajnsielem!" This was the promise that Richard Buhagiar, then a Malta international and Floriana player, made a few years back to present Club PRO Victor Xerri, a long-time friend of the player. To the delight of the supporters of this Club, just a few hours before the close of the 2005 transfer window, Richard made good on his promise and signed for the Blacks on loan from Marsaxlokk to the end of the season. 

The 32-year old defender's career started with Mosta F.C. for whom he played at minor league and senior level. He was heavily pursued by all the major clubs in the premier division. Richard chose Floriana largely due to the charming influence of the then Floriana President Anthony Grech Sant. After two seasons in which he saw limited first team action, Richard established himself as a regular in the side in the 1992/93 championship season. He played on the right and excelled as an attacking defender, creating scoring opportunities for the forwards. He was on occasion also among the scorers most memorably when he scored the last minute winner against Hibernians which sent the title to Floriana. This is not to diminish his defending abilities. Indeed, he was part of the defensive unit in front of David Cluett on his way to his record of 736 minutes of shutout play in 1993/94.

Apart from the league championship, Richard won with Floriana the F.A. Trophy twice (1992/93 and 1993/94), the Super Five Cup four times (1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96 and 1997/98), the Lowenbrau Cup (1993/94) and the Super Cup (1992/93). Richard had a rich experience playing European football with Floriana. Indeed, he took part in all four club competitions organized by U.E.F.A.

Richard's international career took off as well. After an extended period in the Under/21 squad (13 appearances, one goal), he was selected for the senior squad. Richard was part of a group of players that became household names in the nineties forming the nucleus of Malta's national side. He made his debut June 7, 1991 in a President's Cup match against Indonesia in Korea. Malta lost 0-3. Richard went on to amass 55 appearances for the national team. His last appearances was in a June 8, 1999 European Cup qualifier against Yugoslavia (1-4).

He played for Floriana for the entire decade of the nineties. In the latter part of his tenure with the Greens he moved up front and became a prolific goal scorer. In 2001/02 he was sent to Sliema Wanderers on loan. He overcame a motorcycle accident and made a positive contribution to Robert Arrigo's side playing 21 premier division matches and scoring three goals. That season Sliema and Buhagiar missed out on the championship and F.A. Trophy but won the Lowenbrau Cup and the Super Five Cup. 

After one season he joined Marsaxlokk who had just gained promotion from the first division. Richard took part in the meteoric rise to prominence of this once modest club and was immediately one of the senators in the side. He played in the final for the F.A. Trophy in 2003/04 and in the club's historical first venture in U.E.F.A. competitions. Richard captained the Marsaxlokk side this season and put in some great performances which were capped by the dramatic last minute equalizer scored in his penultimate game for the club against Valletta. 

Richard, however, felt that the hour of need was closing in on his friends in Ghajnsielem and became desperate to leave the south sea-siders to fulfill his destiny with Gozo's own sea-side club, Ghajnsielem.