Manchester City fans have called for Micah Richards to be stripped of his club ambassador role following controversial comments made during BBC's FA Cup coverage.
The former City defender sparked outrage when he suggested "all the big teams are out" of the competition, despite his former club still being in the quarter-finals.
Richards made the remarks while analysing the tournament landscape after Manchester United's penalty defeat to Fulham on Sunday.
City supporters have taken to social media to express their anger, with many questioning Richards' loyalty to the club where he spent 14 years of his career.
Micah Richards came under fire for his comments on the BBC
BBC
The backlash comes as Pep Guardiola's side remain one of the favourites to lift the trophy, having defeated Plymouth Argyle to secure their place in the last eight.
During BBC Sport's FA Cup coverage, Richards said: "It's very open now. What a chance for a team to go and win it. All the big teams are out, Manchester City are obviously the strongest team left in there. But this is what we wanted, teams to get a chance."
The comments came after several Premier League sides exited the competition.
Liverpool were knocked out by Plymouth in the fourth round, while Chelsea fell to Brighton at the same stage.
Arsenal had already been eliminated by Manchester United in the third round.
United themselves then lost to Fulham on penalties at Old Trafford on Sunday.
City, Fulham, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Brighton and Preston North End have all secured quarter-final spots.
Nottingham Forest and Ipswich were set to compete for the final place.
City fans made their anger known across social media platforms, with several calling for Richards to be removed from his ambassador position.
One supporter wrote: "Petition to strip Micah Richards of the 'club ambassador' role and hand it over to someone who actually cares about Manchester City."
Another said: "This is what Micah Richards just said on live television. I'm actually tired of this guy."
Micah Richards – Not One of Us! 🚫🔵
— City Chief (@City_Chief) March 2, 2025
Hello @ManCity, Get rid of this clown! Zero respect for City, yet still holding the title…@MicahRichards, remove ‘Ambassador’ from your bio! Even Khusanov has a bigger legacy than you at City! 👋
pic.twitter.com/XLsMAnAuGX
Some fans were more measured in their criticism. "Personally I think Micah Richards misspoke earlier, I don't think he was necessarily saying what he is being accused of. However it's an error that he really shouldn't be making as our club ambassador," one commented.
Others were more direct: "Absolutely hate Micah Richards. How is he still allowed to represent us."
One fan sarcastically noted: "I must've forgot that the team that wins 4 in a row can't be classed as big."
Richards was part of the Manchester City squad that won the FA Cup in 2011 during his 14-year spell with the club.
Pep Guardiola has made it clear he is focused on winning the trophy.
LATEST SPORT NEWS:
Pep Guardiola saw his City side beat Plymouth after going a goal down
Reuters
"It's quite new for us," said Guardiola. "In eight or nine years it never happened. That means we are not doing well. We are going to take time off to refresh."
The City manager emphasised the importance of quality training ahead of their next fixture.
"It's about quality not quantity. We are going to do training for a really important game against Forest," he added.
"We will refresh things and practice things. Lift the rhythm. Normally when you play every three days you cannot do that."
