For many families, passing down a football club to support is part of a tradition spanning generations – though there are a few who decide to break away and follow their own club.
Plenty of Arsenal fans can discuss how their ties to the club started through family or friends, often building that bond to the institution.
That can get a little awkward when it comes to former players though, with many different ties to clubs often making it complicated to choose.
Add to that a person’s own free will to choose a team for whatever reason and there can be tough situations where families are split on who they support.
For example, while David Beckham is long affiliated with Manchester United, his son Romeo actually supports the Gunners.
It’s a situation that popular pundit Micah Richards currently finds himself caught up with his own son about.
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Micah Richards on his son supporting Arsenal or Man City
Richards was well known for breaking through the ranks at Manchester City, with his affiliation continuing through his support of the club.
However, he revealed a dilemma over the club his son may choose to support, with a conflict over picking Arsenal or City.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, he said: “It’s a disaster,” to a ripple of laughter from himself, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.
“He talked about Man United because of [Marcus] Rashford and I said ‘I will never take you to football again if you support Man United’
“Then he started liking [Erling] Haaland but he also liked [Bukayo] Saka as well.”
Lineker hit back with: “So he’s like you, he supports both,” to a lot more laughter, with Shearer adding: “He’s got his dad’s genes, hasn’t he?”
“He’s half and half scarf at the moment,” Richards joked back. “Embarrassing, honest to god.”
The former Man City defender was pressed to answer who he would like his son to support, reluctantly saying: “I would say Man City, only because… the club there have been amazing with me obviously but with my son as well when he’s gone.”
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Micah Richards defends Arsenal in the past
While Shearer made a slight jibe at Richards for “supporting” Arsenal and Manchester City, the ex-defender has backed the Gunners in the past.
Out of the many pundits, it has often been him that has stood up to give a balanced point on the north London team.
For example, Roy Keane claimed that William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes didn’t defend well against Manchester City earlier this season as they conceded twice.
Richards hit back, claiming: “Yeah, [they conceded those goals] against one of the best teams we’ve ever seen in Premier League history.”
Keane slammed back with: “It’s like we’re making out they’ve done something extraordinary.”
Given that Arsenal were so close to a win with ten players on the pitch, Richards didn’t agree, adding: “Listen, Arsenal did well but City were really poor. No movement, no overlaps, no underlaps, so it was more poor play from Man City than Arsenal’s brilliant defending.”
Whether he has a soft spot for the Gunners or not is unclear, but there may be more tension in the Richards household if his son does end up supporting the club.
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