into the Southampton side despite replacing the popular Ken Monkou. He was voted the fans' Player of the Year at the end of his first season. In the three seasons Richards was at the Saints, he made 79 appearances in all competitions and found the net seven times, before joining Tottenham Hotspur in September 2001. Tottenham Hotspur Richards impressed new manager Glenn Hoddle so much that, when Hoddle moved to Tottenham Hotspur in March 2001, he tried to take Richards with him. This led to a drawn-out battle of words between chairman Rupert Lowe and the Tottenham board, which ended when Spurs paid £8.1 million to persuade Lowe to release Richards from his contract which he had only signed a few months earlier. He scored on his debut in a 5–3 home defeat to Manchester United. Richards never realised his full potential at Tottenham due to persistent injury problems, and never fulfilled his ambition to play for his country. At the time, his transfer fee to Tottenham was the highest amount ever paid by a club for a player who had not played internationally. In March 2005, he announced his retirement from the game due to illness after receiving "evidence that it would be harmful to his health to continue". A specialist told him that if he continued playing he could suffer from a brain haemorrhage. Richards said: "I am obviously deeply disappointed to be giving up the sport I love, but it's the only choice." He was suffering from frequent dizzy spells and headaches that were initially thought to be an inner-ear infection. Coach Having gained his coaching qualifications, Richards returned to Bradford City on 3 August 2007, when it was confirmed that he was taking a part-time role as youth coach. He also worked with a company in Spain. Death Richards died at the age of 36 on the morning of 26 February 2011 at St. Gemma's Hospice, Leeds after a long-term illness. On 6 March 2011, two of his former clubs, Wolves and Tottenham, met in the Premier League. This fixture was designated as a tribute game, and as such featured several official and media tributes to Richards' career and life. Joining the teams in the centre circle at Molineux Stadium for a minute's applause before kick-off were his widow Samantha and his two sons Rio and Jaden as well as representatives from his four former clubs