Butcher was born in Peterborough and played for Posh boss Keith Alexander at Lincoln before moving to Boundary Park. Alexander said, "Richard has been a target since I came to Posh. He's a terrific footballer and an excellent athlete. He was outstanding for me at Lincoln and I have no doubt he will be a success for me again. He obviously knows Peter Gain well so I would expect them to bring the best out of each other. There were a few clubs after Richard but he's from this area and he was keen to move back down here. He's taken a considerable paycut to join us because he just wants to start enjoying his football again."
Posh Chairman Barry Fry chipped in with, "Richard is a strong player and a great signing in my opinion. We couldn't get anywhere near the wages he was on at Oldham but, like Mark Arber before him, he didn't like it up north and he was keen to get back nearer to his family."