Rico Richards

Rico Dean Scott Richards (born 27 September 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Southend United. He has represented England up to under-18 level.

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 and was sold to Southend United in July 2026.

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. 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. Academy manager Richard Stevens described him as an "elite talent, in the same bracket as Morgan Rogers, Izzy Brown and Tyler Roberts". He was first named on the first-team bench by Slaven Bilić in January 2020. 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. 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. He said afterwards he was grateful to manager Carlos Corberán for the opportunity.

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. On 18 January 2024, he joined League Two leaders Stockport County on loan until the end of the 2023–24 season. Fellow Villan Louie Barry was already on loan at Edgeley Park. 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. On 29 March, Richards scored his first goal in senior football, in a 3–0 league victory at Forest Green Rovers. He made three starts and eight substitute appearances, helping the Hatters to win promotion as champions of League Two. 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. He was largely absent from the first-team in January and February owing to a niggling knee injury. He finished the 2024–25 season with four goals in 32 games, helping the club to secure an automatic promotion place. after which he joined Port Vale on a two-year deal.

On 1 September 2025, Richards returned to League Two on a season-long loan at Walsall. He played just 37 league minutes in his first three months, though was told to be ready to play by manager Mat Sadler. He played 14 times for Walsall in the 2025–26 season, of which only one was a league start. He returned to Vale Park to find himself transfer listed.

Southend United On 31 July 2026, Richards joined National League club Southend United for an undisclosed fee on a two-year contract, with a club option of a third year. He said that head coach Kieron Dyer could "teach me a few things" and "the main goal is promotion, but I like to get myself on the scoresheet, get some assists, and show off what I can do".

International career Richards has represented England at under-16, under-17 and under-18 international levels.

Style of play Richards is a midfielder with a low centre of gravity and excellent dribbling ability.

2021–22 Championship

2022–23 Championship

1!!0!!0!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0 Aston Villa U21 2023–24

Stockport County (loan) 2023–24 League Two

Port Vale (loan) 2024–25 League Two

2025–26 League One

28!!3!!1!!0!!1!!0!!4!!1!!34!!4 Walsall (loan) 2025–26

Stockport County EFL League Two: 2023–24