Billy Wright (footballer)

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:BillyWrightStatue.jpg Billy Wright, CBE (February 6 1924 - September 3 1994) was an English footballer for Wolverhampton Wanderers. A statue of him stands by their stadium in his memory.

He was born William Ambrose Wright in Ironbridge, Shropshire and played in the wing-half and other defensive positions. He was the first player to win more than 100 caps for England, and captained the national side no less than 90 times. He was captain during their campaigns at the 1950, 1954 and Template:Wc finals.

His association with the club began in 1934 when he was taken on as a member of their ground staff, and he made his first-team debut in 1939, becoming club captain soon after the Second World War ended. With Wolves he won the First Division title three times (1954, 1958 and 1959) and the FA Cup in 1949. During his 541 appearances for Wolves and his 105 games for England, his disciplinary record was second to none - he was never cautioned or sent off by any referee.

He retired as a player in 1959 and was awarded the CBE soon after. He became manager of Arsenal in 1962, but was unable to bring any success to the club; Arsenal never finished higher than seventh under Wright, and after a poor 1965-66 season, where Arsenal finished 14th and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Blackburn Rovers (who finished bottom of the First Division), Wright was dismissed. Wright left management and later became a television pundit and Head of Sport for ATV and Central Television. He also joined the Board of Directors at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Wright became a minor media personality, and his marriage to Joy Beverley of the Beverley Sisters (at a time long before the era of footballers having celebrity girlfriends) was one of the most successful showbiz marriages. Wright was made an Inaugural Inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 in recognition of his impact on the English game.

He died from stomach cancer in 1994, aged 70.

Template:Start box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:End box

[edit]