Brilliant Ian Wright interview

[clockender1]

When you have something like that you do not let go of it. Not for anything.

the board screwed us - as they'd already promised Islington Council no more work at the ground after they redeveloped the Clock End in 1989. They could of demolished the West Stand and the Clock End again and built another tier.

Given the choice between losing Arsenal from Islington and letting us annoy the tarquins i think we would of won.

To be honest though, the fans were just as guilty - no marches or protests were arranged, in fact just the opposite, I had a few heated discussions in 1999/2000 with the petition takers outside the ground.

my opinion that there has only ever been 26-28,000 Arsenal loyals who were there through the 70's and 80's and will be likely there again or replaced by their kids once we inevitably return to mid table obscurity, was ignored.

Judging from the 'patrons' at the Grove and the lack of atmosphere now, i've not changed my view.

after 28 seasons watching The Arsenal at Highbury, nothing will ever replace it for me and i can't even walk up avenell rd anymore, every time i do i feel like someone has died and i tear up.

Wrighty was part of that, as was Dennis and Merse, and Rocky, European nights, New Years Day derbies etc etc.

we sold our soul for success thanks to the JCL's who want it every year....

[chyren1]

Unfortunately I can not relate to Ian Wright the same way than you fine people do since I ve only been supporting the Arsenal since 99 when I arrived in this country;

But I had the chance to meet him a couple of times and the man was a perfect gentleman both times...
And as soon as I mentioned my name,Henry,and saying I was a gooner he really went out of this way to make me feel special and just for that I m grateful...
How I would have love to see him in his heydays at highbury

My only criticism is that I played twice with him at Mario soccer on wii
And he didn't let me win..
Bastard
Just there you could tell how competitive he was..

[Number 5]

I always liked the story of Wrighty when he went away on international duty and refused to put in any of his petrol expenses.

[Top Londoner]

Best footballer interview I have ever seen.
Everyone should watch it.

Tears to my eyes Quartz.

I was born in Brockley, Resevoir Road.

My family was Charlton and Millwall. I was Arsenal.

My dad, god bless his soul, asked me once, why Arsenal son?


I replied......To fuck you all off. I have never looked back. circa 1973

[Top Londoner]

cock, double post

[Vinny1967]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... Q_MaGEFH8g

Hopefully not a repost.

Thanks for posting this mate. Fantastic to see someone speak about themselves with such honesty.

One remarkable man.

[northbank123]

Thanks for this, what an interview. People might think he's used to it having been essentially a celebrity for two decades but it takes a hell of a lot of bollocks to get in front of a camera and lay yourself bare like that. I'd love to read a book if he wrote one now, re-read his autobiography recently but he was still playing at the time and didn't have anything like the candidness or perspective he shows here.

Just a 100% genuine bloke, hearing his story makes me all the prouder that he represented AFC. Will never forget as a kid walking past the East Stand after a game and him hanging out the window shouting to the fans. He was (and is) one of us: you could see how much seeing the club succeed mattered to him, and how much he cared about the fans. Very moving to hear him talking about Rocky, and anybody who's ever seen anything Ian Wright has ever done in his life should be in no doubt as to how he viewed The Arsenal.

Never understood people who smugly point out that he wasn't an Arsenal fan before. Who gives a fuck? There are two ways you become a fan: 1) You are born into it/raised that way, or 2) Something happens to make you dedicate yourself to a club. Players like Merse, TA5 and Wrighty may not have been born as Arsenal fans, but so what? They gave 100% every day for the club, gave decades of loyal service between them and did more for the club every day than you or I could hope to do in a lifetime. They may say things that upset fans now, and I was disappointed with some of Wrighty's comments after the CL final, but he still cares about the club far more than the majority of people who fill the stadium on a Saturday and, like all of us, wants what's best for the club. Although I disagree with some of what he said about RvP's departure, listening to his unbelievable motivation, determination to succeed and rough upbringing means he's fully justified in making those comments from his viewpoint. Fuck me, I'd be disappointed if a man who was so proud of what we were and what we stood for was happy with the way the club has slipped away from those values.

To bring a bit of a downer to this, we actually went out and were so desperate to sign Wrighty that we blew the other clubs out of the water, exactly like we did by paying £7.5m for Bergkamp. If we hadn't shown that decisiveness two of the biggest legends in (recent) Arsenal history may well have both gone to Spurs. Makes me so glad they're not on the market now because we'd never sign them.

[northbank123]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY2JiIXz ... re=related

[North-Bank-1987]

WOW! That was a great interview. I really admire his honesty and really enjoyed hearing about him and Rocky staying up untill 4 in the morning talking about The Arsenal and the scum derby. Wrighty was my boyhood hero and even though he talks a load of waffel in the papers sometimes he used to go mental after scoring for us. Quartz is right, everyone should watch this.

Well Played Ian Wright top bloke.

[Gunner152]

wrighty is the one player i have genuine love and affection for. he mean so much to as a boy growing up supporting The Arsenal. All my boyhood memories of Arsenal involve Mr. Wright in one way or another!!

my greatest memory is before my dad died he took me to the colney to watch them train, seem to recall it was the last session before the side dparted for an away fixture... maybe Everton and as well as getting some autographs and photos with some players, limpar, smith, campbell, parlour, bould Adams etc Wrighty lifted me up n put me on his shoulders for a photo!! who/ which overpaid pre-madona would do such a thing now. our players now are shaddowed by their '"people"!!

Wenger and the BoD should really make the current young players listen to the likes of wrighty for some much needed grounding!!

im gonna send that link on Twitter to a few like Frimpong n get their reaction!!

i love ian wright!!!!

[Lee1]

Proud and privilged to be at Highbury the day he broke the (then) goal scoring record. Attitude and desire - best I've ever seen. Top top man. People slag his opinions,personality.....well who's perfect then. He is Arsenal through and through and will always be,and we've been lucky to have some genuine ''superstars'', my favourite ever Arsenal player. Walcott and his agent should have a good look and re-evaluate ego!

[richpye]

only just had chance to get on a laptop and watch this interview. When I read the later comments, I thought it was going to be Wrighty criticising the Arsenal or something. As it's not, can we maybe stop this thread degenerating into another anti-Wenger thread and just leave it as a dedication to a pure Arsenal legend.

However, what a top quality interview. I can only echo the previous comments, what an absolute legend. The humility behind such an extrovert character is amazing to see and the interview captures this brilliantly.
What it really showed to me was the hunger and desire that is necessary if you really want to make it, not just in professional sport either.
And finally, the money side of it shows the explosion in the game in recent times. Even taking into inflation, I bet there's 12-13 y-o's receiving better financial renumeration than Wrighty's first Palace contract - which feeds into what other people have posted here. If you're already on silly money by the time you're 16, is that passion that Wrighty showed, to prove his doubters wrong ever going to be replicated again?

[IW8Goalmachine]

My favourite player of all time hence my username.

Great interview his reaction to seeing his teacher was quality

[DarylAFC]

Great interview from a great player.

While he's not my favourite player, he's certianly a legend and has earned the "wright" to have opinions on the club

Suppose it's better to listen to another interview full of pro-Arsenal/Wenger love by some clueless fuckwit nobody like Frimpong eh?

What Adams and Wrighty won and achieved as ballers is more than any of this entire group of overpaid, overrated and undertalented pile will ever achieve.
FACT

Agreed that it's disgusting that people slate Wright and Adams. As others have said it's down to modern fans not really having a clue of Arsenal pre-1996. However, your comment on Frimpong is harsh. The lad is actually a genuine fan and has spoken before about his respect for players like Wright and Adams. Fair enough his off field antics are an aquired taste but can't fault him as a fan.

[supergeorgegraham]

Thanks for posting the link. Just watched the interview and it goes to prove why he is such a true legend. Also watched the 3 min interview about the Van Persie transfer. Again Wright is spot on.