Dean Richards loving coaching

The footballing world, well, at least mine, was rocked by the forced retirement of Dean Richards three and a half years ago and the former Southampton defender this week took time out from his coaching of the City defensive youth to speak to the Telegraph and Argus about life after football.

'It's gone, you try to move on with your life and my playing career is a part that's behind me now. As much as it's a great life in football, I'm enjoying my life since I stopped playing as well. Nothing can replace playing but I've had other things that I would have missed out on, like being with my kids every day and being around my family.'

Although he's not getting to play in front of ridiculous numbers of people (the less said about his Spurs début the better) he's actually pretty happy about life after football.

'I look back and think I was very fortunate to play in probably the best league in the world. Nobody can take that away. I broke into the team here very young, so I had 13 years playing first-team football. That's probably more than the average career and I'm quite happy and content.'

Very few people get to realise their childhood dreams, so Dean Richards can count himself very, very fortunate that 'when I was a kid, I had a dream and that did come true. I'm not sorry for myself because I was fortunate to achieve what I did and have so many great experiences.' I, for one, am pretty jealous of the original Deano (Windass was just a pretender to Richards' crown ;) )

In his new life as one of the increasing number of fan-staff hybrids around Valley Parade, Dean is now loving the coaching that he's doing in a complete shift from his own past on the training ground. 'If you spoke to one of my coaches when I was growing up and said I'd go on and do coaching myself, they would probably laugh. I wasn't the really studious sort of player and not the greatest trainer in the world. I used to get myself ready gradually and slowly for the games. I wasn't the biggest and best on the training ground. When I finished playing, coaching was a million miles away from what I was looking to do but, as time went by, I wasn't doing anything else so did the course and quite enjoyed it.'

The call from Wayne Jacobs has clearly given his old teammate a new lease of life. 'It's fallen into place nicely with my life. It's good to put the boots back on and feel part of the team again. I've played for some good managers and worked with great coaches at the top level. You pick little things up from everybody which I try to pass on. These lads are at a stage which I've been through myself. I'm living proof that you can start at a club like this and can go on to the Premiership with the right attitude and work ethic. Hopefully that's there for the lads to see and will give them that chink of light. If I can help just one of them improve then it will be worth it.'

Not only that but he's got the opportunity to be involved with one of the most exciting new dawns in recent footballing memory, the Ginger Revoluton. Speaking about Stuart's return he said 'my father-in-law is a Bradford City fan but he hadn't been for years. He'd even started going to watch Park Avenue, who he supported as a boy. But because of Stuart, he renewed his season-ticket and he's back at Valley Parade again. I know a lot of fans like that who have a good feeling about the place. Jakes jokes that the Midland Road stand was paid for by my transfer fee to Wolves! [ed: jokes?] But you look at the stadium and it's far too good for this division. With the club's size and stature, it should definitely be in the Championship. It's going to take a lot of hard work but I'm sure one day we will be back there. It's great to be back at a club that will always be close to my heart. Nothing would please me more than to see them rise again.