Richard Dunne

Richard Dunne (born September 21 1979 in Dublin) is an Irish football (soccer) defender, who currently plays in the English Premier League for Manchester City. His nicknames include "honey monster" because of his size and also "Dunninho" because of his occasional flashes of skill.

Dunne started his career in 1996 with Everton, making his debut at the age of 16, where he still holds the club's record for quickest 100 meters. In the summer of 2000 he was signed by Manchester City for a fee of £3 million. Disciplinary problems in 2003 resulted in a club suspension, and his time at Manchester City looked to be over. However, Dunne returned to the first team following an intensive fitness programme, and within a few months gained an international recall. A number of consistent performances resulted in Dunne receiving Manchester City's Player of the Year award for 2004/05. He has been capped 22 times for the Republic of Ireland, scoring four goals (as of 2005). Dunne was part of his country's squad at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.