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. So how has it come to this?

Micah Richards is desperate and fit to play for Aston Villa but is 500 days without a game

For a player of his experience and ability it is a highly peculiar situation. Injuries have been a factor but the defender has, for the majority, been fit and desperate to play.

October 15, 2016, was the last time Richards did so competitively. He started Steve Bruce's first game in charge against Wolves, but went off with a calf problem in the 66th minute, and 73 Villa matches have subsequently come and gone without his involvement.

The reasons are manifold but the crux at present is that Bruce does not totally trust Richards to physically cope with two games in a week and has therefore decided against using him at all so the rhythm of his team is maintained.

Richards has a long-standing meniscus issue in his right knee – it has become swollen through exercise in the past – but sources close to the player insist the same was true of Ledley King for a number of his peak years and managed well it would not cause impediment to regular action.

Richards trains fully each day with the first-team but were he to have games to prepare for the sessions could be tailored accordingly.

Instead he keeps turning up at Bodymoor Heath, undertaking all that is asked of him, yet knowing his name will not feature on the teamsheet when the meaningful action takes place.

The former FA Cup and Premier League winner was once hailed England's best young defender

Consistent injury problems halted his career and he has since become a ghost at Villa Park

On Saturday, as Villa players celebrated a thrilling 4-2 win at Sheffield Wednesday that reignited ambitions for automatic promotion, Richards was not in the picture, keeping up with the score away from Hillsborough.

It is a difficult space to occupy mentally, yet club insiders insist the bubbly personality we first saw when Richards excitedly swore on live television after scoring his first senior goal aged 17 – a last-gasp equaliser for City at Villa – remains.

He has given advice and encouragement to Villa's emerging players, such as Keinan Davis, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Andre Green, Corey Blackett-Taylor, and Callum O'Hare. Jack Grealish has also received words of wisdom.

A well-travelled source praised Richards for being 'the nicest player' he has worked with

A well-travelled source said: 'He's probably the nicest player I've worked with, the staff love him. He is very popular, and always has a smile on his face.'

But Richards is more than the joker to keep spirits up. The competitive edge that saw him rise through City's academy is also still intact and while it is important to stress there has been no bust-up with Bruce, strong conversations have taken place.

Richards understands it is of course Bruce's prerogative to pick whichever team he deems best, and Villa's position in the table is evidence of his judgement, but Sportsmail can reveal that twice in this campaign particular pressure moments have prompted personal meetings between manager and player.

One came when Richards sought answers after being left out of August's Carabao Cup win over Wigan – when other fringe players were given a shop window to perform ahead of transfer deadline day. For the visit of Middlesbrough in the next round, Richards, who can operate at right-back or centre-back, made his only squad appearance of the season. But he remained on the bench as Bruce picked Ritchie De Laet, Christopher Samba, Alan Hutton, and Tommy Elphick instead.

Villa boss Steve Bruce has held meetings with the defender on at least two occasions this term

That in part prompted another meeting in late autumn after Richards had featured in a number of behind-closed-doors friendlies. Richards felt it tough to commit to such training ground games when first-team chances appeared non-existent and Bruce, a reasonable man, agreed to call a halt to them.

But there was no reprieve when Bruce made 10 changes for January's FA Cup tie against Peterborough and Richards was not among them. Sportsmail understands there isn't an economic cause for the defender's continued absence, such as to guard against hefty appearances fees with Financial Fair Play regulations gripping tightly. Ultimately, it just seems Villa's manager does not rate Richards enough to work through the knee issue.

'Micah is an absolute stick-on if he's fit,' said Bruce last February. 'He's got the right mentality.' But opinions shift and it appears Bruce now is in the same camp as those at City who felt Richards lost a little of his athletic edge through age.

The 29-year-old hasn't made a first team appearance for Villa since October 15, 2016

Richards was an integral member of Roberto Mancini's title-winning side – playing 37 games in all competitions that season – and would regularly deliver recovery tackles to rouse supporters. Those who coached him wondered though if those moments made up for small tactical deficiencies that became apparent later.

City moved on as a club but Tim Sherwood certainly saw Richards' value when securing his signing on a free transfer in summer 2015. Confidence came from an opening day 1-0 win at Bournemouth.

A desperate relegation followed, however, and some Villa fans still associate that hurt with Richards, who was made captain following the departure of Fabian Delph to City. In fairness, there were much more culpable villains than he that campaign.

To those who argue Richards should have left the club before now, Sportsmail can reveal that Roberto Di Matteo's intervention blocked a move to West Ham in the summer of 2016.

West Ham were willing to pay Richards double his relegation-slashed wage for a season-long loan with a view to a permanent move, but Villa's then manager wanted him as back-up for Elphick and Nathan Baker. That now looks a costly call for all involved.

Despite his inactivity, his wage will double should Bruce's Villa gain Premier League promotion

There was interest from Orlando in January 2017 but two transfer windows have now passed without significant interest from a side Richards would entertain and it is unclear where club and player go from here.

By joining Fiorentina on loan in 2014, Richards has shown he is not afraid of making a bold move to get games but such is his salary it might require an agreement with Villa's hierarchy over his remaining deal.

Villa's top earners, such as John Terry, are thought to take home 70 per cent more than Richards, but in an ironic twist his wage would almost double back to original Premier League levels were Bruce's team to gain promotion. Summer talks are planned.

In the meantime Richards will uphold his professionalism, persevere with his positive attitude, and maintain a love for the game that has not cooled despite all this time spent in deep freeze.