A freestyle footballer from Toxteth has made a name for himself on the international stage.
Since 2003, Richard Braithwaite, aka Silky Skills, has entertained children and adults with his talent.
The 52-year-old, often known simply as Silky, has showcased and taught freestyle football for almost 20 years. Silky decided to explore his entrepreneurial skills and began delivering events after his youth work sessions.
Developing the idea to integrate multicultural Toxteth and the wider Liverpool community, he organised keep-up competitions, seeing who could do the most in one minute. He gained UK and international recognition, and his peers say he has a unique style making him a legend of freestyle football.
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Silky told the ECHO: “I’m in the process of delivering the first silky skills league in Liverpool. It will bring young people together from deprived areas to challenge each other, but more importantly to integrate them, see them have fun and build lasting friendships.
"I started playing football aged seven, then as an adult I played for teams in Toxteth and on the Wirral. My greatest memory was scoring five goals in the first half of a cup match for Puma, managed by Spencer Joel from the Methodist - we went on to win the double."
Silky has toured with Sky Sports, Masters Football tournament, Show Racism the Red Card, the BBC's Your Game and also delivered moves for the African Cup of Nations trailer in 2008. He’s performed across Europe and South Korea doing skills for the launch of a PlayStation game (Extreme Soccer).
The Liverpool FC's fan's most memorable moment was, he said: "Performing at Anfield alongside my five daughters for the Marina Dalglish Cancer Support Appeal, and meeting stars like King Kenny (Dalglish), Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane when I performed at Soccer Aid in Old Trafford.
“All that said, it’s really sad that through racism myself and many other talented Black footballers weren’t given the opportunity to have a trial (in the professional game)."
Children from Scargreen Park, Bronte, Edgehill, Methodist, Sparrowhill the Belve and Swanside youth clubs summed him up with words like: "Kind, being thoughtful, fun, fair, brings happiness, amazing and brilliant". Clare Hughes, youth worker at the Belve said: "It's one class they get involved in.
"We do get him in every now and then to have a little bit of stability. He gets them training and doing ball skills. He goes down really well here and always has done, he brings a sense of discipline and fun”.
Silky trains four hours a day, three times per week and said: "I admire all freestylers, like myself, I know the hours they put into their craft. Legends like Dan Magness, John Farnworth and most of all Mr Woo who introduced me to some top guys and did the T-Mobile advert.
“Women in freestyle are phenomenal and I’ve had the pleasure of working with a few, including Indi Cowie and Kitti Szasz".
For information or how to learn freestyle contact or follow MrSilkySkills on Instagram.
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