Former Manchester United player Kieran Richardson has admitted he’s an Arsenal fan and plans to buy a season ticket, but he didn’t let that affect his performances.

BIRMINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM: Kieran Richardson of Manchester United celebrates scoring the fourth goal during the FA Cup Semi-Final sponsored by E.ON between Watford and Manchester United at Villa Park on April 14, 2007. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM: Kieran Richardson of Manchester United celebrates scoring the fourth goal during the FA Cup Semi-Final sponsored by E.ON between Watford and Manchester United at Villa Park on April 14, 2007. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

38-year-old Kieran Richardson played his last game in professional football in 2016, having represented a number of clubs from around the Premier League.

Starting out at Manchester United, Richardson went on to play for West Brom, Sunderland, Fulham, and Aston Villa, before briefly dropping down to the Championship with Cardiff City in his final season as a player.

At the time, the left-winger/left-back says he didn’t watch much football, so his personal allegiances didn’t affect him on the pitch. But now, he plans to buy an Arsenal season ticket.

“I watch football so much now – I did not watch it much as a footballer – I did not really care,” Richardson said (via Man Utd News).

“Now as someone not playing, I enjoy being an Arsenal fan – I am buying a season ticket next season.

“I am an Arsenal fan but when you play for a club, you are not thinking about Arsenal. Whichever club you are at, that is the team you are riding for.

“I knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup and I scored against them.”

LONDON, ENGLAND: (L-R) Mesut Oezil of Arsenal is challenged by Kieran Richardson of Aston Villa during the FA Cup Final between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on May 30, 2015. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: (L-R) Mesut Oezil of Arsenal is challenged by Kieran Richardson of Aston Villa during the FA Cup Final between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on May 30, 2015. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

By an amusing coincidence, Richardson actually played against Arsenal more times (18) than any other club in his career except Everton – against whom he also played 18 times.

The defender managed three wins in Arsenal games and that one goal in the FA Cup in 2011/12, whilst he was on the losing side nine times, most notably in the 2015 FA Cup final.

Far from taking it easy, Richardson picked up seven bookings in those Arsenal matches, again the joint-most he received against any club in his career.

The other club he picked up seven bookings against? Tottenham Hotspur. Perhaps his fan allegiances showed a little in that fixture.

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