Source: Daily_Mail
Kieran Richardson: United is the best place to learn your football...
When he flicks through the album cataloguing his career, one photograph stands out for Kieran Richardson.
It shows the 11-year-old Londoner beaming at the camera, his forehead sticky with sweat after his first trial at Manchester United. His father Clyde stands to his left and to his right the rugged but still fresher features of one Steve Bruce.
Back then, Bruce was United captain and a hero to Richardson, but the man who is now his manager at Sunderland was to prove an important father figure when the teenager made the difficult decision to leave the capital for Old Trafford in 2001.
Bruce, who watched the trial because his son Alex was also among the hopefuls, took the youngster under his wing, inviting him to his home as Richardson battled bouts of homesickness.
Sitting at the plush Sunderland training ground, sipping green tea as he prepared for the pair's return to the Theatre of Dreams today, Richardson takes up the story.
'I well remember that day and the trial,' he said. 'It was probably the best I had in my life. The gaffer was there and he came over and he said to my dad, "He could be a player, that kid". We had a picture taken with him because he's a legend.
'I moved up to Manchester on my own and Steve Bruce would invite me round to his house and take me out for meals. He did really well for me and Jermal Johnson and another lad called Danny Byrne.
'As a kid in a new city, when your parents aren't around it can be daunting. You get lonely. He knew how I felt because he had to leave the North-East to go to Gillingham.
'Steve and his wife are great people and they have great hearts. They were magnificent to me and you never forget that sort of warmth and generosity. At first I couldn't understand him because I was from London and hadn't heard Geordie accents but I got used it.
'Now he's my manager and I know if I am playing rubbish he will tell me. I will always have love for the family and hopefully I can repay a debt by doing well for him now.'
Although Richardson made 81 appearances for the champions and earned eight England caps, he was deemed surplus to requirements and Roy Keane took him to Sunderland for £5.5million two years ago.
A career-threatening back injury curtailed his first season at the Stadium of Light, but Richardson was a midfield ever-present under the former manager, whose powers of persuasion led him to Wearside.
Richardson said: 'United is the best place to learn your football. They have a lot of experience and for any kid that is the best place to learn.
'There are always people before you who have done it, such as David Beckham, and you think, "Well, if they can do it, why can't I?" I just loved it there.
'All my managers have been connected with United and they are all winners because winning is bred into you and nothing else.
'Sir Alex Ferguson was a great manager who would come down and see the kids. He doesn't just devote himself to the first team, he watches all the levels and if I hadn't gone there at an early age I wouldn't be the player I am today.
'People say that when you leave Old Trafford everywhere else feels second best but when I came here I felt I was moving from one big club to another.
'I knew Roy Keane and after my injury he gave me the speech that I needed to reignite my career. Now Steve Bruce is my boss and when you need advice or a kick up the backside there is nobody better.'
The arrival and impact of Lorik Cana and Lee Cattermole, as well as Andy Reid's rejuvenation, have forced Bruce to push Richardson back to left back. Rather than sulk, he has reacted well to the switch. Richardson said: 'The first time I played there was in the Champions League and Sir Alex Ferguson said I did well and I carried on there for most of the season.
'I trained as a left back which meant that I had the best player in the world running at me in training in Cristiano Ronaldo.
'Obviously you're going to learn quickly because you won't come up against anyone better. We are both quick and he might get past me but I would be back straight away. We had some good battles.
'I know now the name on the front of the shirt is more important than the one on the back, so I will play anywhere for Sunderland. One of the things Sir Alex said to me was that good players can play anywhere on the pitch. I do feel as though I could do that now.'
Richardson even has an eye on Fabio Capello's World Cup squad.
He added: 'It's a possibility that playing at left back could be my passport to South Africa. Ashley Cole is the best left back in the world, then there is Wayne Bridge and who else? If I keep playing well for Sunderland it could be a way in.'
