Micah Richards

Micah Lincoln Richards (born 24 June 1988) is an English football pundit and former professional player who played as a right-back.

Richards began his senior career with Manchester City and made 245 appearances across all competitions in ten seasons, winning a Premier League title and an FA Cup.

Despite initially struggling to get a YTS contract, he later signed his first professional contract with the club in 2005.

In the summer of 2005, Richards was called up by Manchester City's first team for the Premier League Asia Trophy.

He was later promoted to the first team in early October 2005.

Richards made his first-team debut on 22 October 2005 against Arsenal, coming on as a substitute for Danny Mills in the 85th minute of a 1–0 defeat at Highbury.

After the match, he said it was the most memorable day of his life.

Following this game, he then received a handful of first-team appearances for the remaining matches of the 2005–06 season.

At the end of the 2005–06 season, he went on to make sixteen appearances and scoring once in all competitions.

On making his full England debut in November 2006, Richards became the youngest defender to be called up to the England squad.

He won 13 caps for England between 2006 and 2012, and played in the Great Britain squad for the 2012 Olympic football tournament.

Although Richards was born in Birmingham, he grew up in Chapeltown, Leeds.

Richards began playing football when he was young and he played for the Leeds United youth system as a striker, but he was released when he was around eight years old.

He also represented Leeds Schools FA (Leeds City Boys) at a young age.

Richards later moved to playing in either the centre-back or right-back positions.

He later played for the Oldham Athletic youth system, moving to Manchester City as a 14-year-old, with Oldham reputedly having a 20 per cent sell-on clause.

In July 2006, Manchester City reportedly tried to buy out the clause, but Oldham refused.

He also attended the Brazilian Soccer Schools scheme and retains strong links with the programme, with his father Lincoln running a Brazilian Soccer School in Chapeltown, Leeds.

Richards progressed through the ranks of Manchester City's Youth Team and Reserve Team.

It was not until 1 February 2006 that he made another appearance, again as a late replacement in a 3–0 win over Newcastle United.

Eleven days later he made his first start, playing the full 90 minutes in a 3–2 win over Charlton Athletic.

His first goal came on 19 February, heading in a last-minute corner to earn a 1–1 draw away to Aston Villa in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Manager Pearce praised his performance after the match.

Richards swore on live national television when interviewed after the game, later reflecting that "I won the Premier League and played for England but it seems everyone always remembers me best for swearing live on BBC One on a Sunday afternoon".

In July 2006, Manchester City rejected a bid of £5 million for Richards from Tottenham Hotspur.

On 25 July 2006, he signed a new four-year contract, quashing rumours of a move away from the City of Manchester Stadium.

At the start of the 2006–07 season, Richards helped the side keep two clean sheets between 23 August 2006 and 26 August 2006.

However, during a 1–0 loss against Reading on 11 September 2006, he was criticised by Pearce after reacting furiously when he was substituted in the 60th minute and threw his shirt to the ground and waved his arms in disgust.

Despite this, Richards continued to remain in the first team for the side and was praised once again by Manager Pearce for his professionalism.

At one point during the 2006–07 season, he played in a central midfield position, due to limit of midfielders.

Richards then scored his first goal of the season, in a 1–1 draw against Everton on 30 September 2006.

He appeared in every match until he was dropped in December, due to a leg injury following a 2–1 loss against Tottenham Hotspur on 16 December 2006.

But he made his return from injury, starting the whole game, in a 1–0 win over Sheffield United on 26 December 2006.

In a follow–up match against West Ham United, Richards kept another clean sheet, in a 1–0 win.

Over the next months, he competed with Hatem Trabelsi and Danny Mills over the right-back position.

Despite this, Richards was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award at the end of the 2006–07 season.

However, Richards suffered a calf injury and had to be substituted during a 2–0 win over Middlesbrough on 17 March 2007, resulting in him sidelined for the remaining matches of the season.

After a season on loan at Fiorentina in Italy's Serie A, he joined Aston Villa in 2015.

Richards played 31 times for Villa until October 2016 – several knee injuries restricted his appearances – before retiring in July 2019.

He became a football pundit after his retirement.