'Sir Alex Ferguson gave me my Man Utd debut – now I'm unrecognisable after career change'

Kieran Richardson has taken an unconventional path since retiring from football - and now sells high-end watches globally.

The former ace, who soared through the ranks at and inked his first pro deal in 2002 under , bagged 11 goals across 81 matches for the Red Devils and claimed a title in the 2006/07 season before heading to .

Richardson notched 15 goals in 149 games for the Black Cats and secured legend status with a booming free-kick against in the memorable 2008 Wear-Tyne derby. After five years in the north east, the former winger took on challenges at , , and City, before finally hanging up his boots in 2017. Sidestepping the usual punditry or coaching roles post-retirement, Richardson opted for globe-trotting watch sales as his second act.

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Eschewing the leverage of his Premier League fame when meeting new people, the London-born former footballer revealed to Ladbrokes Fanzone last year: "Whenever I meet someone new, I don't even say I was a footballer anymore, I just say I sell watches for a living," reports .

"The places I go, in the business , most people don't even really know about football. If I was to meet anyone now, and they asked me who I am or what I do, I'd just say I sell high value watches around the world. Then, a lot of people will go on and check me out on , maybe, and they'd see my career in football, and then it goes on from there.

"The football career definitely helps, actually, because it gives people a sense of trust. I feel like my clients do really trust me, and so they should. The football background definitely helps, for sure. But, obviously, you still need to be knowledgeable about the product, and know what you're talking about.

"Luckily enough, I've been doing watches for a long time now, so I'm quite savvy on them, even though I'm still trying to learn more every day." Richardson also remarked that he's not into flaunting his switch from football to luxe watch dealing, choosing instead a more subdued transition.

He shared: "I've never been the kind of guy to go and make a song and dance out of my retirement. I don't really care, to be honest. I had a great career, I enjoyed it, but I've moved onto other things now. When I was a kid, I had hobbies, right? was always my number one, but my second was watches.

"I always loved watches. My father was into watches, I was into watches, and throughout my career I'd always be buying and learning about new watches. I just happen to have left one hobby, and gone into another one, that's how I see it. I still feel like I'm living the same life. It's crazy.

"I'm really, really blessed to be in a position where I don't call my work, my work. Even when I was a footballer, it never felt like work to me, it was something that I loved. It's probably why I didn't come out and say I'd retired, because I don't feel like I have retired. I'm still doing something that I love."

Richardson now runs a business called Broadwalk, selling luxury watches from top brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe. His website features a range of high-end timepieces, including a rare Rolex GMT-Master II "Batgirl" and an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Skeleton.

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