.jpg) Wright withIpswich Town in 2009 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Richard Ian Wright[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1977-11-05)5 November 1977 (age 48)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Ipswich, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Manchester City (goalkeeping coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1995 | Ipswich Town | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–2001 | Ipswich Town | 240 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | Arsenal | 12 | (0) |
| 2002–2007 | Everton | 60 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | West Ham United | 0 | (0) |
| 2008 | →Southampton (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | Ipswich Town | 58 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Sheffield United | 2 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Ipswich Town | 1 | (0) |
| 2012 | Preston North End | 0 | (0) |
| 2012–2016 | Manchester City | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 380 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 1996 | England U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 1997–2000 | England U21 | 15 | (0) |
| 2000–2001 | England | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Richard Ian Wright (born 5 November 1977) is an English football coach and former professionalfootballer who is a goalkeeping coach forPremier League clubManchester City.
As a player he was agoalkeeper. He joinedIpswich Town as a trainee, going on to play for the club 298 times between 1995 and 2001. He then moved toPremier League clubArsenal, before being signed byEverton in 2002, where he spent five years. A brief spell on loan fromWest Ham United withSouthampton was followed by a transfer back to Ipswich Town. After a short spell atSheffield United, a third stint at Ipswich and a brief time atPreston North End, he joined Premier League championsManchester City on a free transfer in 2012. After four years at City, during which he did not play at all, he announced his retirement in May 2016.[2] He remained with City as a coach under new managerPep Guardiola.[3]
He was a member of theEngland squad, earning twocaps, and was included inKevin Keegan's 23 man squad forUEFA Euro 2000 but did not see the field.
Wright was born inIpswich,Suffolk and signed a professional contract withIpswich Town on 2 January 1995 after serving his apprenticeship[1] and made his debut as a 17-year-old in a 2–0 victory at home toCoventry City in May that year.[4]The season ended with Ipswich's relegation from thePremier League, and for the following four, Ipswich lost in the promotion play-offs from theFootball League First Division.[5]
He played a major role in Ipswich's1999–2000 season when the club were promoted via the play-offs at the fifth attempt. On 29 May 2000, in theplay-off final againstBarnsley, Ipswich won 4–2, with Wright's long goal kick being flicked on byMarcus Stewart forRichard Naylor to put them 2–1 up. Wright scored an unfortunate own goal when a shot rebounded off the bar and hit him, and then gave away apenalty kick by foulingCraig Hignett, but saved it fromDarren Barnard.[5] In Ipswich'sfirst season back in the top flight, he inspired them to 5th place and qualification to theUEFA Cup.[6]
Wright joined Arsenal on 5 July 2001 for £2 million.[7] He signed a five-year contract. ManagerArsène Wenger envisaged him as a long-term successor toDavid Seaman and also as a more experienced competitor for the previous second-choice goalkeeperAlex Manninger, who soon left the club.[6]
Wright made his debut againstDerby County on 29 September, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 win atPride Park which put his team on the summit of the table.[8] On hisUEFA Champions League debut againstPanathinaikos he saved anAngelos Basinas penalty to help his side win 2–1.[9] Despite an injury to Seaman which gave him an extended run in the team, he did not capitalise on the opportunity, punching the ball into his own net in a 4–2 home defeat toCharlton Athletic on 4 November when trying to clear fromPaul Konchesky,[10] and then two weeks later he was at fault forGus Poyet's injury time equaliser in the North London Derby againstTottenham Hotspur.[11] Four days later, he was substituted at half time with injury in aUEFA Champions League match away toDeportivo de La Coruña, being replaced by youth goalkeeperStuart Taylor in the 2–0 defeat.[12] He slipped to third choice behind Taylor and played mostlyFA Cup matches for the remainder of the season, up to and including the semi-final againstMiddlesbrough,[13] although Seaman replaced him forthe final, which Arsenal won 2–0 againstChelsea. He made his last Arsenal appearance on the final day of the 2001–02 season, a 4–3 victory overEverton. Arsene Wenger deliberately started him for the match, so that he ended the season with 10 league appearances, qualifying him for a winners' medal; he was substituted for Stuart Taylor late in the game, so that Taylor also had 10 appearances and earned a medal.[14] Wright made 22 appearances for Arsenal in total.[15]
After Seaman was given a one-year contract extension, Wright sought first-team action elsewhere, and on 24 July 2002 he moved to Everton for an initial £3.5 million, potentially rising by another million if a set number of appearances were reached.[15]
On hisGoodison Park debut on 17 August, he made an error and gifted a goal toLes Ferdinand in a 2–2 draw withTottenham Hotspur,[16] but a week later he saved a penalty fromKevin Phillips in a 1–0 win atSunderland.[17] After the season had ended, on 13 June 2003 (Friday the 13th), he had a freak accident when he fell from his loft, injuring his shoulder.[18]
In August 2003, Everton brought in veteranNigel Martyn. On 13 September, Wright went off injured 26 minutes into an eventual 2–2 draw againstNewcastle United.[19] He faced knee surgery and missed the remainder of the season.[20]
During the2005–06 season, Martyn had a spell out with injury, but Wright injured himself soon after while warming up for a match against Chelsea on 8 February 2006; a large sign instructed players to use temporary goals for their warm-up but he ignored the warning and fell on the sign, injuring his ankle.[21] Despite Martyn's retirement, Wright remained second in the pecking order for the2006–07 season behind new arrivalTim Howard. He played 71 games in total for Everton, but only two in his last campaign.[22]
Wright was released by Everton at the end of the2006–07 season,[23] and signed forWest Ham United on 4 July 2007.[22] Second-choice toRobert Green, he made his Hammers debut on 28 August in a 2–1 win atBristol Rovers in the second round of the League Cup.[24]
On 20 March 2008, having only played two further League Cup games for West Ham he joinedSouthampton of theChampionship on a month's loan as their first three goalkeepers were all unavailable through injury.[25] Two days later, he made his debut in a goalless home draw withCoventry City.[26] On 18 April, the loan was extended to the end of the 2007–08 season,[27] he totalled seven appearances for the Saints.
Wright rejoined Ipswich on 21 July 2008 for an undisclosed fee on a two-year contract with the option of a third year.[28] He then made his 300th club appearance for Ipswich in a 4–1 loss againstWigan Athletic on 23 September in the third round of the League Cup. His fine performances for his hometown club earned him the Players and supporters' player of the season awards for the 2008–2009 season. On 1 December 2009 Wright was ruled out for up to four months following a knee injury suffered during a 2–1 win againstCardiff City.[29]Wright was released by Ipswich at the end of the 2009–10 season.
After a brief trial spell, Wright joinedSheffield United on a free transfer on a four-month short-term deal in September 2010, having been extended until the end of the season.[30] Despite this Wright spent most of his time at Bramall Lane injured and made only two starts, both times being withdrawn midway through the game due to further injuries. His contract was terminated with Sheffield United by mutual consent at the start of April 2011.[31]
Wright returned to Ipswich in the summer of 2011 to train with the club. Having been on trial at other clubs he had impressed enough while training with Ipswich to earn a call up to the reserves,[32] in which he featured in a game againstColchester United.
Wright re-signed for the club for his third spell on 23 November 2011. Earlier in the week he had stated he wanted to return to the club: "I love Ipswich Town Football Club, I don't hide that. I think everyone knows that, but at the moment there's nothing there for me – simple as that, you just get on with it and look elsewhere. If anything changed and something came up (at Ipswich) then I'd be a liar to say I wouldn't consider it because I would."[33] In his third debut for the club, Wright conceded three times in a 3–2 home defeat toReading.[34]
On 1 July 2012, Wright signed forPreston North End; however, he left the club only one week into pre-season training as he was suffering from homesickness, having made no appearances for the club.[35]
Following a trial withColchester United, Wright signed forManchester City on 30 August 2012,[36] completing a free transfer and agreeing a one-year contract. On 10 July 2013, Wright signed a one-year extension with City.[37] Despite not making a competitive appearance for the club in either season, he was awarded a new contract for the 2014–15 season, at the expense of second-choiceCostel Pantilimon.[38] The contract was extended by one year for the fourth consecutive season, during summer 2015.[39] Wright remained on the books of Manchester City for four years in total, but never made a first-team appearance before announcing his retirement on 17 May 2016.[2] He remained as a coach under new managerPep Guardiola.[40]
Wright was capped twice forEngland, making his debut againstMalta in a friendly on 3 June 2000; he gave away twopenalty kicks, conceding the first asDavid Carabott's shot rebounded into the net off his head after hitting the post, and saving the second, again from Carabott, in the 88th minute as England won 2–1.[41] He was a member of the EnglandUEFA Euro 2000 squad, where he was third choice behindDavid Seaman andNigel Martyn.[42]
On 15 August 2001, he earned his second and final cap, replacing the injuredDavid James, who himself had replaced Martyn at half-time in a 2–0 friendly defeat against theNetherlands atWhite Hart Lane. Wright kept a clean sheet, as England were already 2–0 down when he came on.[43][44]
Following his retirement at the end of the 2015–16 season, Wright remained with Manchester City and became a goalkeeping coach onPep Guardiola's coaching staff.[45]
In November 1998, Wright and his girlfriend Kelly Hammond had a son, Harry. In May 2000, two days after Ipswich had beaten Bolton Wanderers in the play-off semi-final to reach Wembley, he and Kelly married.[46] Wright's father-in-law,Geoff Hammond, a former full-back, scored two goals in 69 Ipswich appearances between 1970 and 1973. Harry, who also plays as a goalkeeper, signed a professional deal for Ipswich on his 17th birthday.[47]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Ipswich Town | 1994–95 | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |
| 1995–96 | First Division | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| 1996–97[49] | First Division | 40 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
| 1997–98[50] | First Division | 46 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 58 | 0 | |
| 1998–99[51] | First Division | 46 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 54 | 0 | |
| 1999–2000[52] | First Division | 46 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 54 | 0 | |
| 2000–01[53] | Premier League | 36 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 44 | 0 | ||
| Total | 240 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 289 | 0 | ||
| Arsenal | 2001–02[54] | Premier League | 12 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Everton | 2002–03[55] | Premier League | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 37 | 0 | |
| 2003–04[56] | Premier League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05[57] | Premier League | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06[58] | Premier League | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| 2006–07[59] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 60 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 0 | ||
| West Ham United | 2007–08[60] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |
| Southampton (loan) | 2007–08[60] | Championship | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | |
| Ipswich Town | 2008–09[61] | Championship | 46 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 50 | 0 | |
| 2009–10[62] | Championship | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | ||
| Total | 58 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 0 | ||
| Sheffield United | 2010–11[63] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |
| Ipswich Town | 2011–12[64] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| Manchester City | 2012–13 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 380 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 458 | 0 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2000 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 0 | |
Ipswich Town
Arsenal
Individual
Richard Wright, the former Everton goalkeeper, moved on to the coaching staff having retired with little fanfare in 2016.
