When BBC pundit Micah Richards commentated live to 20 million viewers on England’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina this summer, he did it for his dad. He had just received the devastating news of his father, Lincoln’s “unexpected and shocking” death, but says: “I had my dad’s voice in my head telling me, ‘you’ve got to make the most of this opportunity,’ and that’s what I tried to do. I did it for him
“Everyone grieves differently. If you watch the game back, I kept tapping my foot. All these emotions were going through my body. I was getting myself through it.” Micah, 38, says his dad had been ill for a few years, but does not disclose his cause of death, just saying: “I didn’t think it would happen then.”
An electrician, Lincoln also ran a grassroots football team – raising Micah and his seven siblings with the pundit’s mum, Heather, who worked in a social services office. Sadly, the couple separated, but Micah, who is single, says they both encouraged him to play football.
Starting with kickabouts in Chapeltown, Leeds, where he grew-up, Micah became a star at Man City, winning two Premier Leagues and one FA Cup trophy with the Blues. At 18 he became the youngest defender ever to play for England, and represented Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.
Now living in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, he says: “My dad took me absolutely everywhere. “He probably missed 10 or 20 games throughout my whole career. He was just amazing. He always said, from when I was young, ‘If you apply yourself properly, you’ll make it.’ He said, ‘The minute you take your eye off the ball, then someone will take your place.’ But he always believed that I had the ability to do it. It was just keeping me on track.”
As a teenager, when his friends were all out at clubs and discos, Lincoln told him: “That’ll all come. Don’t worry about that, just stay focused.” Now, life without his dad, who had been dealing with a drink problem, is tough.
Micah says: “He was the one who always gave good advice. I’ve got four sisters and three brothers – and I’ve lost count of the number of cousins. If I ever needed advice, he would be the one who I would turn to. But now, essentially, everyone turns to me. I’m like, ‘I’m only 38, I’ve not got the answers. Just do your best.’ What am I to say?”
Despite his success, Micah says he has “wild imposter syndrome all the time.” Advising people just to “show up” if they want success, he adds: “Everyone looks at my career and says, ‘you played for England, won the Premier League, now working for all the big broadcasters.’ But I’m just enjoying the ride.”
Again, he praises his dad for his wise words in keeping him grounded. He says: “My dad always used to say to me, ‘never forget where you come from.’ What he meant by that is, just know if you’re earning more money, or if you’ve got a bigger house, make sure you stay humble. Make sure you’re always working hard. Make sure you have compassion with other people.’”
While Chapeltown was a tough area to grow up, Micah adds: “ I never strayed because I was always focused on football.” And now Micah is an ambassador for the Specsavers campaign, Best Worst Team, to support grassroots football. A community-driven initiative, Specsavers searches the UK for rock-bottom, underfunded grassroots and Sunday League football teams that suffer heavy losses, bad luck, or comical on-pitch blunders and gives them a makeover.
This year, they’ve picked Bollington United in Cheshire, who will be given professional professional coaching, high-profile assistant managers and football legends, upgraded kits, and media coverage – before being included in an 8-part YouTube documentary series.
Micah, an assistant manager, says: “My job is to get them off the bottom of the table. Grassroots football gave me stability and a focus. It taught me a lot of things in terms of being personable, in terms of sharing. It makes you resilient. All those things that you need in life. It humbles you, too. I was at Oldham Athletic and I was the best player by far. I went to Man City at 14, and I was the worst.”
But he says Oldham gave him the skills to deal with it, without “throwing your toys out of the pram when you’re not getting picked.” He adds: “Grassroots is so important because that is the foundation, that’s where it starts.”
Micah says the community element of grassroots football is also important. He adds: “Community’s where you’ve come from, what you are. My community in Chapeltown was absolutely amazing. I still go back to Chapeltown to get that chicken and rice from Maureen’s. And the love and affection I get is just amazing.”
Micah rose through the ranks from grassroots to Leeds City Boys, then Leeds United, Oldham Athletic and Man City. He officially retired from professional football on July 26, 2019, aged 31, due to chronic and persistent knee injuries.
He admits: “I was lost when I retired. I thought, ‘What am I going to do, man?’ But football has given me everything in life, so I feel like I have the responsibility now to sort of send the message that football’s for everyone.Grassroots or Premier League, you should enjoy it the same way.” He also works with charities, including British Heart Foundation and Shelter. “Helping people makes me proud,” he says.
Fiercely private, Micah has never revealed the name of his nine year old son, or identified the boy’s mum. But he says: “He plays football, and I am one of those dads who doesn’t say a word on the sideline, but inside, I’m raging. It makes my blood boil when he doesn’t work hard.”
And other parents expect a BBC-level commentary. Micah says: “When I’m on the side there, people are always looking at me when their son’s scored to say, ‘Ooh, that was good, wasn’t it?’ I’m like, ‘yeah, it’s good! It’s fine!’ What, you want me to give some expert analysis on the goal?’ I’m not going to do that! Let the kids have fun.”
Despite his prolific footballing and commentating career – working for Sky Sports, BBC Sport, and CBS Sports – Micah says his proudest achievement is being a dad. He says: “Having my son makes me proud. That and making my debut at 17 for Man City.”
His prolific career also means Micah has some enviable contacts. But he confesses that there’s one famous woman who he can’t get hold of. Earlier this year, he claimed on The Rest is Football podcast to co-hosts Alan Shearer and Gary Linekar that Spice Girl, Mel B, was once his babysitter. However, she has neither confirmed nor denied it.
He says: “My mum said she did it, my sister did. And I actually tagged her, which I never do, I never tag people in Instagram. It did happen, but I need the confirmation from Mel B.” It’s not like Scary Spice to be silent!
*Micah Richards returns for season five of Specsavers’ Best Worst Team, helping grassroots side Bollington United Sunday Blues, in an eight-part YouTube series.
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