Ian Wright, Wright, Wright

[officepest]

Here’s a great article by the normally insufferable Rob Smyth on Ian Wright in the Guardian. So many wonderful memories evoked; he was such a fantastic player and a bona fide Arsenal legend who genuinely loved our once-great club.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blo ... nited-1995

So, Ian, thank you for everything. Thanks for all the goals, the memories, the medals and the good times you brought to Arsenal. Here’s to all the chips, volleys, lobs, left foot, right foot, headers and slaloms followed by the poke under the keeper.

Oh for his like again.

[BournemouthRED]

I feel so lucky to have grown up watching him play for the Arsenal. As a kid he was my idol, his goals the celebrations and mostly his love for the club was something special.

Still one of my all time players/people, he played the game to win but with a massive smile on his face. Absolute joker and legend in my eyes.

[Riotof91]

Absolute legend. The exact kind of player we need right now.

Makes me sick that some of these Invincible era plastics have pops at him because he's made some (fairly safe) criticisms of Wenker.

[Kvltman]

A deadly finisher, with a huge personality. Still remember as a naive 10 year old thinking we had no chance of winning in Copenhagen against Parma because he wouldn't be playing.

Was lucky enough to be at Highbury for the 178/79/80, magical day.

[EC3]

He played with a smile on his face?....you sure about that.

Great player and yes an Arsenal legend.

[StuartL]

Funny enough people said at the time we didn't need him....Smith, Merson, Campbell banging in the goals but George knew.

David Dein rang Ron Noades and enquired about another player, then casually asked about Wright and was told it would take a bid of £2m, to which Dein replied, then I am offering you £2m for Ian Wright. Sold !!

Was lucky enough to witness most of his goals, lots were special - Everton juggle and lob Southall, the Swindon 40yard lob, the last North Bank game hat trick v Southampton. Last minute winners and equalizer v tiny tots at the Lane.

Loved Merson celebrating his cup final goal v Sheffield Wednesday before he scored, cos he knew he wouldn't miss.

We may have had better technical players in Henry and Bergkamp but I don't think they matched Wrighty for passion and pride in playing for The Arsenal. He would score shitloads in this team's.

[northbank123]

Loved him as a kid growing up. Still love him (even though I think he chats a lot of shit)

Favourite player that I have ever had and will ever have.

[Perryashburtongroves]

I really don't think anyone will ever come close to him in terms of being my favourite ever Arsenal player. Everything about him made him a favourite, from the goals he scored to the way he played, the way he treated the fans and the fact that he seemed to treat being a footballer as a stroke of luck, unlike today's players who think they are special and above the rest of the world. It's been said before about Wrighty, but it looked like he played every match as if it could have been his last. Bergkamp is up there too for me, but Ian Wright was something different, the last probably of an era.

[Jock Gooner]

Wrighty was pure class and a privilege to watch. I remember reading the paper on the morning his signing was announced and wondered whether he would be able to do it for the Arsenal. I certainly hoped that he could but we were a real step up in class from Palace back then. Well he set us all straight that he was the real deal very very quickly. I could wax lyrical about Wrighty for hours but will spare you. I loved the final game of the season when he pipped the spuds Lineker for the Golden Boot, he turned a nothing game into a real celebration. But for an apparently racist FA he would have got plenty more England caps too.

Wenger needs to take a long hard look at the likes of Charlie Austin as he is at much the same stage that Wrighty was before he came to us. The guy is a proper goal scorer not an imitation like Theo or Danny. Can't wait for AW to piss off as I'm fed up with him playing games with my club.

[Ben Diesel]

Can't remember when; but an away day at Selhurst Park some years ago, Wrighty was sitting in the middle of our support in the Arthur Waite stand with a big Fedora on his head, trying to look 'inconspicuous'. But he was spotted and we were all chanting 'Ian Wright, Wright, Wright' at him. So he stands up, throws his arms out wide, and takes a bow to each corner of the stand.

Through and through.

[flash gunner]

My favourite player ever

[nut flush gooner]

Wrighty has had a few run ins lately on twitter with gooners, but it's only because he cares about the club. When he retired and started doing the punditry he always referred to Arsenal as we. I can only think of one other player that came to the club as a footballer with little connection, but left a gooner and thats TH14.

Both cup finals, Wrighty has been seen wearing the red and white scarf and still got the ian wright wright big time while he was pitchside.

[officepest]

Agree with the sentiments echoed by many above on this. I imagine the amount of Gooners who don’t love Wrighty can be counted on one hand.

What would he be worth nowadays: £50m?

[Swifty]

Absolute Champion and Legend!

We had 200 applicants for a senior job here and one was named Ian Wright - he got my vote. Starts in a couple of weeks!

[Mistical92]

Wenger needs to take a long hard look at the likes of Charlie Austin as he is at much the same stage that Wrighty was before he came to us. The guy is a proper goal scorer not an imitation like Theo or Danny. Can't wait for AW to piss off as I'm fed up with him playing games with my club.

I'd really like to see Austin at the Arsenal actually. Scored nearly 20 in a crap team, he'd get way more than that in a good team. He's also a class act, worked his way from non-league, knows the value of money and that's he's bloody lucky to be a footballer. It's a shame that he isn't a Wenger signing because he'd shit all over Theo and Giroud (Theo especially).