A Long Walk To Success

By KM · Image: Facebook

Football as an escape

Every Saturday, Ian and his older brother, Maurice, looked forward to watching "Match of the Day." However, when their stepfather was in a bad mood, he would storm into the room just before the show started and order them to face the wall. The boys had no choice but to obey, listening to the matches while their hearts raced at the sound of the crowd’s cheers, forced to keep their eyes off the screen.

Chasing a chance

As a teenager, Ian chased his dreams regardless, trying out for various professional football clubs, but faced disappointment at every turn. His mother often reminded him of a saying that echoed in his ears:

"Many are called, and few are chosen."

It haunted him—so many wanted success, but only a select few ever attained it.

The Brighton trial

At 19, a glimmer of hope appeared when he was invited to Brighton for a six-week trial. For the first time, everything felt promising. Yet, financial struggles loomed large, and he found himself too broke to afford the train fare to visit his family in London on his day off. Some fellow players encouraged him to ask the club for travel expenses, but Ian felt hesitant.

With a mix of hope and anxiety, he went to the reception desk and explained his predicament: he needed money to return to London. The receptionist asked him to wait while she sorted it out. As the minutes stretched into what felt like an eternity—five long hours of waiting and feeling utterly helpless—he struggled to keep his spirits up. Finally, the receptionist handed Ian a wad of cash—around £200. Overcome with gratitude, he boarded a train heading home. In that moment, relief washed over him, and he couldn’t hold back his tears.

Family and a new direction

Unfortunately, Brighton didn’t offer him a contract, and the clouds darkened further. In 1982, just 19 years old, Ian found himself in Chelmsford Prison for two weeks due to unpaid driving fines. During his time in prison, Ian started a relationship with a woman named Sharon, who had a young son, Shaun. Losing his freedom ignited a fire in him to provide for his new family. So he shifted gears, left football behind, and dove into bricklaying, later honing his skills as a plasterer. By 1985, with two young boys—Shaun and Bradley—to care for, he found contentment in his new life.

One last shot at football

The allure of football was too strong to ignore. When Crystal Palace offered him a two-week trial, he initially turned it down, convinced he was meant to be a laborer. However, an unexpected source encouraged him to give football another shot: his old friend Tony Davis, who had always stood by him. With newfound motivation and support from his supervisor, Ian decided to take the plunge and arranged two weeks off from his bricklaying job to pursue football one last time.

A week into the trial, Palace manager Steve Coppell invited him to the grounds for a special match. Determined to arrive on time, Wright got there early, only to find the grounds empty. Confused and eager to find out where everyone had gone, he waited. Little did he know, this was just the beginning of an incredible journey. In that moment, Wright realized he had accidentally gone to the wrong location. With time running out, he knew he had to act fast. Without hesitation, he sprinted towards Selhurst Park, driven by determination.

The breakthrough

When he finally got to the right place, he was completely out of breath and drenched in sweat. Despite his exhaustion, fate smiled on him. Wright was given a chance to step onto the pitch as a substitute. After the match, Ian was signed for three months. After an agonizing eleven years of rejection, the moment felt surreal: at just 21, Wright became a professional footballer. What followed was nothing short of magic. He emerged as Crystal Palace’s top scorer, donned the Arsenal jersey, netted 185 Premier League goals, and proudly represented England 33 times.

Back to Match of the Day

Years later, Wright received an invitation to grace the set of "Match of the Day," the very show he used to watch as a kid, standing in the corner for some mischief. As he stepped onto the set, presenter Des Lynam greeted him warmly: "Ian Wright, welcome to Match of the Day." Overwhelmed with emotion, Wright could hardly contain himself. He thought, nostalgia washing over him. Despite all his achievements, hearing the iconic theme music always transported him back to his childhood in Brockley.