The smile on Spencer Richey’s face is a permanent fixture these days. 

Richey, FC Cincinnati’s starting keeper the last six weeks, admits he is living a dream and seems intent on enjoying every bit of it. 

A Seattle native, Richey didn’t start the Orange and Blue’s first game at Seattle but hasn’t given up the starting nod since, racking up two shutouts while FCC maneuvers its way through its inaugural Major League Soccer season. 

From not making his high school team to becoming a starting MLS goalkeeper, Richey sat down with FloFC after a recent practice and covered a variety of topics. 

FloFC: Six straight starts, how does that feel starting for an expansion MLS team?

Spencer Richey: It’s good, man, real good. It’s been a good five, six weeks.

How tough was it not to get the start in the opener in your hometown?

Yeah, it was tough. As a kid, I didn’t go to many Sounders games growing up. They weren’t in that stadium anyway, but going to Seahawks games, being around that stadium as a kid playing sports in Seattle, that was always a stadium I wanted to be part of a game in. As a kid I wanted to play in that stadium, so hopefully I will get more opportunities. It was still an awesome experience. 

Przemyslaw Tyton was the opening day starter. He is close to recovering from his injury, how is the goalie competition going?

It’s good, man. It’s fun. It’s part of the business for most guys for a lot of their careers. Most guys are in a situation where they are scratching and clawing for playing time week in and week out. Not many guys go significant portions of their career where they know week in and week out they are going to penciled in the starting lineup.

You pride yourself on fighting for playing time. Is this goalie competition just another battle to win? 

My whole professional career has kind of been that way. I have always had to have my foot on the gas and try to earn my spot each week so this is nothing new to me.

You made 14 starts in goal for FCC in 2018 in all USL action. How special was getting a clean sheet in front of this fan base in the first-ever MLS home game for FCC?

Yeah, that was awesome man, especially after seeing how that stadium was last year. This year, feeling the buzz in the stadium against Portland, it was truly electric. It was so loud and to do it in 3-0 fashion in our first win as a club, first shutout, was really fantastic. It was really awesome. 

Mike’s Carwash in Cincinnati gives $5 off for clean sheets. Tell me about your trip after the Portland win?

It was pretty funny. I was just cruising home. I had just had dinner with my fiance and she was like, “We should go get your car washed, it will be hilarious.” It was totally her idea. We pulled in and made a little joke to the guy, “Do we get $5 off today?” and he was like “Yeah, FCC had a shutout, so $5 off your wash.” I was totally like, “Thanks, man.” He totally had no idea. It was pretty funny. 

You spent your high school years from sophomore year on in Florida with the IMG Academy, but the year before, you tried out for your high school team. So, did the coach recognize he had a future MLS goalie on his field?

My freshman year I actually didn’t make varsity. He might have got that wrong. In December of my sophomore year I was invited onto residency with the U17 so I never played high school soccer.

Couldn’t make the high school team but made the 17 national team?

That’s right. I made the 17 national team but didn’t make the high school team. It’s funny how things work. 

IMG, national team, the University of Washington, Vancouver Whitecaps, and now FCC goalie. What is the top moment so far? 

I would say my MLS debut. I would think along the way as a young teenager you have a goal to play college soccer and once you achieve that then you want to be a professional and I signed with Whitecaps 2. I always wanted to play in the MLS. It wasn’t the top league in the world, but it was in the country I was born in. It was always a huge goal for me.

FCC coach Alan Koch coached you at WFC 2, coached against you in college, and traded for you at FCC. How much as Koch meant for your career? 

Yeah, he’s been good. I think I have played for him for three and half years of my career now. He was the one who drafted me to Vancouver. We had a relationship from our university days. He has given me opportunities both last year and this year. I would like to think I have rewarded him with some good performances along the way.