My son’s a Premier League champion – Tesco called security on me after unusual purchase because I was so proud of him
THE FATHER of a Manchester City title-winner has revealed how Tesco called security on him hours after his son’s historic first goal.
Rico Lewis incredibly won a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble before his 19th birthday.
He helped the Cityzens to claim a record-breaking fourth-straight title on Sunday.
And now the star is hoping to celebrate a double this weekend in the all-Manchester FA Cup final showdown with United.
Full-back Lewis made his international debut for England in the 1-1 draw in North Macedonia last November.
Despite all of that success, there was one moment in particular that left his father Rick Lewis incredibly proud.
Although it almost led to an interesting moment with a security guard.
When Rico became the youngest player to score on his first Champions League start at age 17 in a 3-1 win over Sevilla last year, Rick brought every newspaper he could.
He told Sun Sport: “I bought every newspaper in Bury Tesco. I spent 45 quid on papers!
“A woman that worked there rang security because they thought I was up to something.
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“They thought there was a protest or something going on.”
Although tackling the former two-time British Muay Thai champion and his pile of newspapers might not have been the wisest move.
Rick, who now owns Phoenix Muay Thai in Whitefield, Manchester, originally set up a gym in Bury back in 2001.
Three years later, on the day Rico was born on 21 November 2004, he hung up his fighting gloves.
Rick said: “Something went out of me instantly when he was born.
“I looked at him and thought it’s too selfish getting in the ring and getting hit. I don’t know how people do it.”
However, that did not stop Rico and his 16-year-old sister Sacha, who is in City’s academy, following in their father’s footsteps.
Rico started training aged just two and had his first fight at THREE with a boy twice his age and size – something the 5ft 7in ace would go on to do on the pitch.
A workout with Rick Lewis
SUNSPORT’S Isabelle Barker was put through her paces by former British Muay Thai champion Rick Lewis, the dad of Manchester City star Rico. Here is her gruelling workout...
- We started off using what looked like medieval torture contraption to stretch the legs to help with flexibility when kicking.
- Rick started off practising roundhouse kicks with me as kicking is an integral part of Muay Thai and scores more than punches in a fight.
- We then moved on to setting up the kicks up with punches like jab, cross and a hook as well as fakes.
- Rick even managed to get me to do a Question Mark Kick, which is a deceptive technique used to fool the opponent into thinking you’re attacking low but really your intended target is high.
- We finished off with some combinations involving punches, low kicks, switch kicks and head kicks.
Rico, who joined City’s academy aged eight and holds a whopping 30-fight unbeaten streak, still trains Muay Thai with his dad.
He does it most during pre season, hitting pads and taking part in fitness drills like the bleep test.
And it is easy to see the fighter within him when he brushes off being clattered to the floor by players double his stature and height.
Rick added: “He is only 19, people don’t remember that. They criticise him but to me he is still a baby.
“He gets kicked to the floor but jumps straight up again and wins the ball back.
“I think Muay Thai made him prepared and ready to be coachable to Pep. He is so disciplined.
“It’s only ever been him in the ring when he’s fought and that has helped him so much.”
Man City's five key moments this season
A look at the five key moments in Man City's title winning campaign...
- Luton 1 – 2 Man City: City bounce back from a run of four games without a win to kick-start their unbeaten run.
- Newcastle 2 – 3 Man City: Kevin De Bruyne returns from injury to come off the bench and inspire a late turnaround against the Magpies.
- Man City 3 – 1 Man Utd: Phil Foden puts on a masterclass as City lay down a marker on their title ambitions and breeze past their local rivals in the process.
- Man City 0 – 0 Arsenal: A goalless draw that, although disappointing, meant City were still keeping pace with the teams around them and could maintain their spot in the title race. A loss could have put Arsenal out of sight of the Cityzens.
- Man City 4 – 1 Aston Villa: Following consecutive draws against title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool, City bounce back with a thumping of Unai Emery’s high-flying Villa to keep the pressure on the Gunners.