|
Northern Ireland international goalkeeper Tommy Wright followed the path
to Tyneside of the man who signed him - Willie McFaul. The Newcastle
United manager and former Irish national keeper, paid £30,000 to bring
Wright to St. James' Park from his old club Linfield in March 1988. At
the time Tommy was an inexperienced player, but like his manager before
him, developed into a more than capable last line of defence for both
club and country. Following a period in and out of Newcastle's line-up,
Wright claimed the Number 1 jersey in season 1989-90 following the
departure of Dave Beasant to Chelsea and at times performed quite
brilliantly. Claiming 30 caps for his country and almost 100 senior
games for the Geordies, at 6'1" tall, he had the perfect build for the
position and showed agility and shot-stopping to rank with the best.
Tommy claimed a Football League representative place in season 1992/93
and assisted the Magpies to promotion during the same season.
However,
his Newcastle career was often disrupted by injury and when he lost his
place to Pavel Srnicek in the Magpie eleven, moved to Nottingham Forest
in September 1993 for a £450,000 fee - this after a short loan period
with Hull City. Unfortunately injury again forced him onto the sidelines
for much of his stay at the City Ground, although he did help the Reds
to promotion in 1993-94. In March 1997 the Ulsterman headed for Maine
Road, joining Manchester City in a £450, 000 deal, while Wright had loan
spells at Reading and Wrexham, as well as a brief sojourn back with
Newcastle United in season 1999-2000. Wright was deputy to Nick Weaver
as City won promotion two years in succession from Division 2 into the
Premiership as the year 2000 opened. Tommy began playing the game at
centre-forward for local clubs Grange Rangers and Brantwood in Belfast. A
proficient athlete as a teenager, he was All-Ireland champion before
switching to soccer. (Paul Joannou)
1988–1993 Newcastle United 73 (0)
1991 Hull City (loan) 6 (0)
1993–1997 Nottingham Forest 11 (0)
1996 Reading (loan) 17 (0)
1997 Manchester City (loan) 5 (0)
1997–2001 Manchester City 29 (0)
1999 Wrexham (loan) 16 (0)
1999 Newcastle United (loan) 3 (0)
2001 Bolton Wanderers (loan) 4 (0)
|