Micah Richards has shared a hilarious joke he once made at Steve Bruce’s expense that had him worried he’d gone ‘too far.’
Micah Richards is known these days as one of football’s most entertaining pundits, often bringing lots of laughs to the Sky Sports or CBS studio on match days and various podcasts.
Back in his playing days, the former defender came through at Manchester United’s neighbours Manchester City and spent 10 years in the first team.
Injuries curtailed the end of Richard’s career and he managed just 31 appearances in his final three years at Aston Villa.
That’s where Richards worked under Steve Bruce. He only actually played one game for the United legend, which turned out to be his last in football.
However, Richards was still able to share some fun moments with Bruce and has now revealed a brutal joke he said to him once.
Micah Richards’ joke to Steve Bruce
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, the hosts were asked which player was unlucky not to get a call-up for England, which inevitably led to a conversation on Bruce.
At which point, Richards recalled his time playing under Bruce and a funny bit of banter the pair shared.
You’re just taking me back to my time at Aston Villa and Steve Bruce, he’s a great lad ain’t he?” he said.
“He’s a great lad but it’s like he’s sure of himself, he was a top player.
“I remember he was coming out from the changing rooms and walking towards the pitch, he was saying something like banter.
“Banter-wise we’re talking, this is not serious.
“And he goes, put your medals on the table. I said well I won a Premier League and he comes back, but you wasn’t captain or something like that.
“I said, well at least I played for England.
Everyone’s like orrrrrrr. I thought to myself I’ve gone too far here, it was totally banter.
“But I’m bantering off Steve Bruce, probably not the best way to go but that’s the sort of character he was.”
An underappreciated legend
His fortunes in his recent jobs at West Brom, Newcastle and Sheffield Wednesday may have diminished his reputation, but it should never be forgotten what an incredible footballer Bruce was.
The centre-back was the cornerstone of Sir Alex Ferguson’s first great United team, helping the club win three Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups and a UEFA Supercup.
Bruce captained United to many of those triumphs and even once scored 18 goals in a single season from defence.
As Alan Shearer said himself on the podcast, it remains baffling he never received an England call-up.
The retired striker said: “Yeah, he’d [Bruce] be one that springs to mind because of what he and that team achieved at Man United.
“Really unlucky not to play for England.”
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