TRIBUTES PAID TO DEAN RICHARDS
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy led the tributes for Dean Richards, whose death at the age of 36 was announced on Saturday following a long illness.
Former central defender Richards is fondly remembered at Molineux, where he moved after impressing with hometown club Bradford.
He went on to play for Southampton and Tottenham, who paid more than £8million for his services, before being forced to retire from the game at the age of 30 in 2005 when he was suffering from dizzy spells and headaches, an illness which was initially diagnosed as an inner ear infection.
The Wolves fans chanted his name on Saturday as their side paid a fitting tribute to their former player with a 4-0 win over Blackpool.
McCarthy said: "I can't tell you how sad I feel for him and his family - 36 years of age. It is just devastating for them.
"He was a nice fella, and he is well remembered here because he scored a goal against the Albion, so he will always be fondly remembered.
"I didn't know him, but he has played against my teams and he was a very good footballer.
"Anybody who dies at that age - and I believe he has two kids and a wife - it's devastating, so my sincere condolences to his family and close circle of friends who will be feeling it today."
Opposite number Ian Holloway added: "Dean lived a couple of doors down for me when I lived in St Albans. He was a wonderful fella, my love goes out to his family."
Richards moved from Bradford to Wolves in 1995, making 145 appearances in a four-year spell and becoming a crowd favourite.
He subsequently moved on to Southampton, who were then in the top flight, where he spent two years before switching to White Hart Lane for £8.1million, despite the player not having earned any senior international caps for England.
Richards, who played four times at under-21 level, spent four years in north London although his time there was dogged by injury.
He made almost 350 appearances in a career spanning 13 years before his retirement, before returning to the game in August 2007 as a youth team coach at Bradford.
A statement on the Tottenham website,
www.tottenhamhotspur.com, read: "Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur was saddened to hear of the death of our former player Dean Richards, who passed away this morning at the age of 36 after a long-term battle with serious illness."
It continued: "There will be a tribute paid to the defender ahead of our fixture next Sunday at Molineux against his former club Wolves.
"We extend our sincere condolences to the family of Dean Richards at this very sad time."
A statement from Bradford's said the club were "truly devastated" by the news, while Saints described him as "a whole-hearted and popular player with fans and colleagues alike".
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