For Richards, who grew up in the ‘deep south’ of the United States of America, combatting discrimination has been a challenge from a very young age.
“Where I came from was very traditional, and it was like I was almost forced to be a person I wasn’t,” he told Ferdinand. “Being able to come to a place like London and play for a team like Palace with a lot of guys that look like me is eye-opening.
“It almost felt like I was having a bit of an identity crisis growing up. Maybe I had another black kid playing on the team but for the most part I was the only kid who looked like me. Going to school I was the only black kid that played football.
“It was definitely a struggle growing up. The first time I really saw people who looked like me was in Germany [playing for Bayern Munich]. It was eye-opening moving to Europe, showing me that it wasn’t just people who have money that played football; it was people of all races and backgrounds.
“Growing up in Alabama, it was not such an easy place to grow up when you are black or mixed race. I was pretty much the only black kid on my team.
“We would go to tournaments and I would hear things that I probably shouldn’t have heard. You are a kid and you just try to brush it off, and after the fact I always had support from people around me. They understood it wasn’t right and no matter how old you are it is something you shouldn’t tolerate.
“My dad taught me that the best thing I can do as a black man is be well educated, and I have done my research on the people I have tattooed on my body. They stand for the things I want to stand for as well.”
For Richards, social media was always a positive – especially for a teenager who travelled thousands of miles from home to pursue his dream. But the negative side of social media has always reared its head.
“It is a way to connect with people,” he told Ferdinand. “I moved away from home at a young age, so being able to see my friends and families I haven’t seen in forever, and being able to see how they have progressed and see milestones in their lives.
“I think social media is good, being able to follow the people you can’t see everyday. But it’s tough. Everybody hates seeing negative comments about yourself, but I think it’s a bit harder for my family.
“They know I am trying my best. Some days you are not going to have a perfect game. I just try to brush it off as much as possible.
“At the end of the day, I’m doing something that I love and I am not going to let the negative comments deflate me.”
