Once hailed the best young defender in the country, Micah Richards has won 13 England caps, a Premier League title, and the FA Cup.
He made Champions League appearances with Manchester City, and has memories of representing Great Britain at the London Olympics. He once turned down Manchester United and Chelsea, and at 29 has seasons ahead of him.
But on Tuesday he passed a remarkable 500 days since his last competitive game for Aston Villa. His £35,000-per-week contract at the Championship club does not run out until 2019.