With Northampton having already reported back for pre-season training, ahead of most other teams, the 32-year-old reflected on his first campaign with the club this week.
"We were good in certain spells, we were bad in certain spells," he said.
"So there are improvements to be made because we need to make a good push for the play-offs at least."
And Richards will be key to any success that the Cobblers have in 2015/16 having more than justified Chris Wilder's decision to snap him up almost immediately after Town's great escape from relegation in 2014.
18 goals in 31 games was the return on that investment, confirming the players' reputation for consistent goalscoring at League Two level.
A fully-fit Richards is almost a guarantee of 20 goals in the new campaign, a solid basis for a good season at Sixfields.