Tommy Wright

Wright
Full Name:Thomas Wright
Date of Birth:29-Aug-1963
Place of Birth:Belfast, N Ireland
Height:6 ft 1 in
Former Team:Newcastle United FC
League Debut:Saturday, 14th January 1989 in a 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa
Club Career:72 League appearances (+1 as substitute)


1988-1993

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. Tommy is the current Ballymena United manager and just recently has turned down a fulltime coaching job as the goalkeeping coach for Norwich City.