Micah Richards is enjoying a wonderful start to his punditry career after an early retirement but it has always been unclear which club he actually supports – Leeds United, Arsenal or Manchester City.

Now 35, Richards retired in 2019 aged just 31 after injury saw him unable to get back into the side at Aston Villa. It comes after being renowned for breaking onto the scene at Manchester City as a teenager.

His early form for Manchester City saw him win an England call-up and become the youngest-ever defender to play for the Three Lions. A record that still stands, starting against The Netherlands in 2006 after Gary Neville pulled out with an injury.

Richards went on to play 245 times for Man City, winning the Premier League and FA Cup as well as boasting 13 England caps. But his career went downhill due to injury, going on loan to Fiorentina and then to Villa.

Just 19 appearances for La Viola saw him move to Villa, before only 31 games in four years on the books at Villa. An early retirement saw Richards break into the punditry world where he is now thriving.

Richards is known for being an Arsenal fan but he grew up in Chapletown and was on the books at Leeds early on during his academy days.

That and of course, playing nearly 250 times for the Premier League champions. So which team does Richards actually support? Here is what he said this week on The Rest Is Football:

Richards picks the team he supports – Leeds, Arsenal or Man City

Asked during a Q&A on his podcast alongside Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker, Richards responded hilariously: “Harrogate! Alright okay, oh my god. City.”

Shearer instantly quipped, given Richards’ role as a City ambassador: “That’s right go where the money is, remember who pays you!”. So Richards is a Man City fan before he is a Leeds or Arsenal supporter.

Micah Richards thinks Leeds will win the Championship play-offs

While he might not support Leeds directly, Richards is clearly a big admirer of Leeds given he grew up in the area and was in the academy until the age of 12. Daniel Farke’s side sit in third place in the Championship with the play-offs expected.

Leeds can still get second but need to beat Southampton at Elland Road and hope Huddersfield win against Ipswich. But the play-offs are more likely and Richards thinks Leeds can win the final at Wembley on May 26.

Richards said on The Rest Is Football: “I’m gonna go Leeds in the play-offs. They’re going to bring an army down in the play-offs. Ipswich go automatic, I’m going to say Leeds in the play-offs.”

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