Rico Richards
English footballer (born 2003)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rico Dean Scott Richards (born 27 September 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League One club Port Vale. He has represented England up to under-18 level.
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Richards in July 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rico Dean Scott Richards[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 27 September 2003[2] | ||
| Place of birth | West Bromwich, England[3] | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.82 m)[4] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Port Vale | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2010–2020 | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2023 | West Bromwich Albion | 1 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | Aston Villa | 0 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Stockport County (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2024–2025 | → Port Vale (loan) | 27 | (3) |
| 2025– | Port Vale | 1 | (0) |
| 2025–2026 | → Walsall (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2019 | England U16 | 4 | (1) |
| 2019 | England U17 | 3 | (1) |
| 2020 | England U18 | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13:38, 12 April 2026 (UTC) | |||
Richards is a product of the Academy at West Bromwich Albion, where he turned professional in August 2020. He played two matches for the club before he joined Aston Villa on a free transfer in July 2023. He spent the second half of the 2023–24 season on loan at Stockport County, who finished as champions of League Two. He was loaned out to Port Vale for the 2024–25 season, where he won another League Two promotion, and he joined the club permanently in June 2025. He then joined Walsall on a season-long loan.
Club career
West Bromwich Albion
Richards joined the youth academy of West Bromwich Albion as a seven-year-old and signed his first professional (three-year) contract with the club in August 2020.[5] Both Manchester United and local rivals Aston Villa had attempted to sign him to a professional contract before he opted to pledge his future to the Albion.[6] Academy manager Richard Stevens described him as an "elite talent, in the same bracket as Morgan Rogers, Izzy Brown and Tyler Roberts".[7] He was first named on the first-team bench by Slaven Bilić in January 2020.[7] He helped Albion to reach the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup in 2021.[8] He made his senior debut for West Brom on 25 August 2021, starting in a 6–0 EFL Cup second round defeat to Arsenal at The Hawthorns in a game where manager Valérien Ismaël blooded a lot of young talent against an experienced Gunners team.[7][9] He helped the youth team to win the Premier League Cup at the end of the 2021–22 campaign, though in the final he missed his penalty in the shoot-out against Black Country rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers.[7]
Richards made his Championship debut for the club on 3 March 2023, coming on as a substitute in the 80th minute in a 2–0 loss away at Hull City.[10] He said afterwards he was grateful to manager Carlos Corberán for the opportunity.[7] He ended the 2022–23 season with four goals and five assists from 20 games for the under-21 side.[11]
Aston Villa
On 3 July 2023, Richards signed a two-year contract with Aston Villa after joining on a free transfer after the expiry of his West Bromwich Albion contract.[12] On 18 January 2024, he joined League Two leaders Stockport County on loan until the end of the 2023–24 season.[13] Fellow Villan Louie Barry was already on loan at Edgeley Park.[14] He initially made only cameo appearances, with manager Dave Challinor commenting on his initial shyness and apparent lack of confidence, though he found greater first-team opportunities following an injury to Barry.[15] On 29 March, Richards scored his first goal in senior football, in a 3–0 league victory at Forest Green Rovers.[16] He made three starts and eight substitute appearances, helping the Hatters to win promotion as champions of League Two.[2]
Port Vale
On 30 August 2024, Richards returned to League Two on a season-long loan with Port Vale.[17] Speaking in December, manager Darren Moore said that he was "really pleased with the way he has been progressing and the opportunities he gives us as a team through his intelligence and his directness" and that "over the first half of the season he has been getting stronger" as he utilised Richards primarily as a substitute.[18] He was largely absent from the first-team in January and February owing to a niggling knee injury.[19] He finished the 2024–25 season with four goals in 32 games, helping the club to secure an automatic promotion place.[20][21] He was released by Aston Villa upon the expiry of his contract on 30 June,[22] after which he joined Port Vale on a two-year deal.[23]
On 1 September 2025, Richards returned to League Two on a season-long loan at Walsall.[24] He played just 37 league minutes in his first three months, though was told to be ready to play by manager Mat Sadler.[25] He played 14 times for Walsall in the 2025–26 season, of which only one was a league start.[26] He returned to Vale Park to find himself transfer listed.[27]
International career
Style of play
Richards is a midfielder with a low centre of gravity and excellent dribbling ability.[7]
Career statistics
- As of match played 11 April 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| West Bromwich Albion U21 | 2020–21[29] | — | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| West Bromwich Albion | 2021–22[30] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022–23[31] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Aston Villa U21 | 2023–24[32] | — | — | — | 3[a] | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||||
| Stockport County (loan) | 2023–24[2] | League Two | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||
| Port Vale (loan) | 2024–25[20] | League Two | 27 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 4[a] | 1 | 32 | 4 | |
| Port Vale | 2025–26[33] | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 4 | ||
| Walsall (loan) | 2025–26[33] | League Two | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4[a] | 2 | 14 | 2 | |
| Career total | 50 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 66 | 8 | ||
- Appearances in EFL Trophy
Honours
West Bromwich Albion U23
Stockport County
Port Vale