Why we'll always love Matthew Richardson * Cheryl Critchley
* Herald Sun
* March 23, 2010 WITH only two more sleeps until Richmond farewells superstar Matthew Richardson, fans will miss his humble nature even more than his on-field brilliance.
Richmond cheer squad president David Norman says the unassuming superstar helped make the banner before his biggest games.
"He was one of the few players when he had a milestone game. He'd come down and help with the banner," Mr Norman said.
"He'd stay and cut a couple of letters out with the kids.
"That's the kind of bloke he was. The bloke had a heart that was bigger than Phar Lap's.
"He bled black and yellow."
The cheer squad will feature Richardson, 35, on the back of Thursday's banner for the MCG season opener against Carlton.
Young Tiger fans one for each of his 282 games will form a guard of honour for their hero, who retired at the end of 2009 after an injury-plagued season.
Mr Norman, 48, who saw all of Richardson's games, said he would always have a special place in the hearts of Tiger fans.
"In 30 years involvement with the football club, he's by far the nicest and most giving player I've ever come across.
"He was so grounded and so fan-friendly."
Richardson said he felt as if his retirement had been the longest in the history of AFL retirements, but he was still looking forward to doing a lap of honour before the game.
He didn't know how he would react running out onto the ground as a spectator.
"You do see players get emotional in this sort of situation," he said. "I don't know how I'm going to go."
Richardson was pleased that 282 children would share his special moment, as they were such a big part of footy.
"Richmond's got a lot of supporters, and most of the supporters are kids," he said.
Ben Macaulay, 6, who often runs around pretending to be Richo, is living proof.
He received a signed get-well photo from his hero when he started leukemia treatment last year.
Ben is handling the challenge magnificently, spurred partly by the Richo's message.
His favourite memory is the star's marking.
"I remember the time when there was five Geelong players and just one Richo and Richo went up and took the mark," Ben said.
Cheer Squad member Meg Thorneycroft, 14, was not even born when Richardson started playing in 1993.
She refused to attend her Year 9 camp in Tasmania this week so she could be at his farewell, which she'll attend with nieces Maddison Hosie, 6, and Jazmine Hosie, 5.
Robbie Ramsay, 8, also loved watching Richo and is finding it hard to come up with another favourite.
"I think Richo's good in every way," he said. "I love going for Richmond."
Alicia Almeida, 29, was about 13 when Richo first played.
Her daughter Katia, 2, is now a fan and recognises him on TV.
"When Richo comes on the TV she goes 'Richmond', 'Richmond'!" Ms Almeida said.
Her fondest memories are Richo's prodigious talent and consistent effort.
"Generally when the crunch came he would deliver," she said. "I was very sad when he retired. I just cried for days.
"Round One is going to be very difficult for me. I feel very sorry for him as well.
"I feel upset for him that he never got the opportunity to play in a Grand Final or more finals. I think he deserved more than he got."
Ms Almeida also praised Richo's people skills.
"When we used to have the family days at Punt Rd ... he used to be just swarmed by fans. "He just put up with it so well. He never seemed like he hated it. He never got a big head."
Former club volunteer Margaret Scott, 78, who sends Richo a birthday card every year, can't imagine footy without him.
Ms Scott recalls Richo's 10-goal haul against the Bulldogs in 2004, and cringes as she recounts umpires awarding a free kick against him in the dying moments of a 2007 game against Essendon.
The Bombers hung on to win.
"I'll never forget the one with Essendon and with the hands in the back and they robbed him," she said. "Richo put his hands on his back like a feather."
Nancye Rodgers, 77, said Richo was her favourite "personality wise", as he always wore his heart on his sleeve and showed his faults.
Ms Rodgers is still "in a state of shock" about Richo's retirement and has so many highlights she can't separate them.
"I used to like seeing him play up the field," she said. "I think he could have been an athlete in a lot of sports.
"There will never be another Richo, that's how I look at it.
"It's going to be a few grim years I think. (But) I'm glad he's still involved with the club."
Richmond cheer squad leader Gerard Egan, 46, and his wife and fellow squad member Nikki Egan, 34, have countless memories.
Ms Egan loved Richo's talent but what stood out was his work with Royal Children's Hospital patients and eye cancer survivor Tyler Fishlock.
"He's great with that stuff," she said. "I like seeing that side of Richo."
Mr Egan said one passage of Richo play stood out, even though he couldn't remember the game.
"I can remember Richo in the back line getting the ball, kicking it downfield, receiving it back as a handball on the wing, kicking it forward and then going forward himself and marking it and then kicking a goal," Mr Egan said.
"He was just that sort of person. He loved to play football."
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