Tommy Wright (footballer, born 1966) explained

Tommy Wright
Fullname:Thomas Elliott Wright
Birth Date:10 January 1966
Birth Place:Dunfermline, Scotland
Height:[1]
Position:Winger
Years1:1982–1986
Years2:1986–1989
Years3:1989–1992
Years4:1992–1995
Years5:1995–1997
Years6:1997
Years7:1997–1998
Years8:1998
Years9:1998–2000
Clubs1:Leeds United
Clubs2:Oldham Athletic
Clubs3:Leicester City
Clubs4:Middlesbrough
Clubs5:Bradford City
Clubs6:Oldham Athletic
Clubs7:St Johnstone
Clubs8:Livingston
Clubs9:Doncaster Rovers
Caps1:92
Caps2:112
Caps3:129
Caps4:53
Caps5:45
Caps6:12
Caps7:5
Caps8:7
Caps9:28
Goals1:28
Goals2:23
Goals3:22
Goals4:5
Goals5:5
Goals6:2
Goals7:0
Goals8:1
Goals9:1
Totalcaps:455
Totalgoals:86
Manageryears1:2012
Managerclubs1:Chesterfield (caretaker)
Manageryears2:2016
Managerclubs2:Barnsley (caretaker)
Manageryears3:2019
Managerclubs3:Carlisle United (joint caretaker)
Manageryears4:2021
Managerclubs4:Swindon Town (caretaker)
Manageryears5:2022
Managerclubs5:Oldham Athletic (caretaker)

Thomas Elliott Wright (born 10 January 1966) is a Scottish football coach and former player. A winger, he made nearly 450 appearances in the English Football League and Premier League, and also had short spells in the Scottish League. He was most recently a First-Team Coach at Oldham Athletic.

Career

Coaching

Having worked previously as his assistant manager at Oldham Athletic,[2] Wright followed John Sheridan to League Two side Chesterfield to serve in the same capacity, in June 2009. He was made Caretaker Manager following the sacking of Sheridan on 27 August 2012, with Mark Crossley assisting.[3] [4]

Wright was appointed assistant head coach of Barnsley on 25 February 2015 [5]

On 21 June 2018, he linked up with John Sheridan once more when being appointed the new assistant manager of Carlisle United.[6]

Swindon Town

On 9 July 2019, he joined the coaching team at Swindon Town.[7]

In November 2020, Swindon Town F.C. manager John Sheridan stressed that he had no plans to change the existing coaching team. He wanted Wright and Noel Hunt to stay at Swindon Town F.C. and was looking forward to working with them.[8]

In the same month, it was reported that former Swindon Town F.C. manager Richie Wellens was planning to bring coach Wright to Salford City F.C. but Wright turned down his offer and continued to coach the Swindon Town F.C. team.[9] [10]

In February 2021, Wright admitted he wasn't sure whether he and manager Sheridan would keep their jobs if they won their Wigan Athletic F.C. game.[11]

On 18 April 2021, following the resignation of first-team manager John Sheridan, Wright was placed in charge of the first-team with Swindon sitting bottom of the league, seven points off of safety with four games remaining.[12]

Oldham return

On 25 January 2022, following the return of Sheridan to Oldham Athletic, Wright returned to the club as a coach.[13] He left the club on 26 September 2022 following the recent change in management.[14]

Corruption conviction

See main article: 2016 English football scandal. Wright was suspended by Barnsley on 28 September 2016 pending investigation into allegations that he had taken a £5,000 cash bribe to arrange player's transfers.[15] His criminal trial was held in October 2019,[16] at which he was convicted of soliciting and accepting bribes.[17]

Bribery incident

In August 2018, the City of London Police announced that the former assistant coach of Barnsley F.C., Wright, had been charged with bribery offenses.[18] In December 2019, Swindon Town F.C.'s first-team coach decided not to sack Wright. Although Wright had been found guilty of taking a bribe for leaking commercial information about players to the public, he was allowed to keep his assistant job.[19]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 . Peter . Dunk . Queen Anne Press . London . 1987 . 274 . 978-0-356-14354-5 .
  2. News: Sheridan makes Wright assistant . 5 June 2006 . . 5 June 2006.
  3. News: Sheridan named Chesterfield boss . 9 June 2009 . . 9 June 2009.
  4. Web site: Doncaster Rovers Player Profile . 22 June 2011.
  5. Web site: Tommy Wright — Assistant Head Coach. 29 September 2016.
  6. Web site: Tommy Wright joins Carlisle Utd as John Sheridan's new assistant manager. 21 June 2018 . News & Star. 21 June 2018.
  7. Web site: TOMMY WRIGHT JOINS FIRST-TEAM COACHING STAFF. swindontownfc.co.uk. Swindon Town F.C.. 31 July 2019. 31 July 2019.
  8. Web site: John Sheridan would like Tommy Wright and Noel Hunt to stay at Swindon Town . 13 November 2020 . swindonadvertiser.co.uk . 30 September 2021.
  9. Web site: Richie Wellens wants to bring Tommy Wright to Salford City . swindonadvertiser.co.uk/ . 16 November 2020 . 5 October 2021.
  10. Web site: Tommy Wright says he is staying at Swindon despite Salford links . swindonadvertiser.co.uk . 20 November 2020 . 5 October 2021.
  11. Web site: Tommy Wright unsure if win can keep him in Swindon Town job . swindonadvertiser.co.uk/ . 2 February 2021 . 5 October 2021.
  12. Web site: CLUB STATEMENT: JOHN SHERIDAN. www.swindontownfc.co.uk. 18 April 2021.
  13. Web site: Wright Returns To Latics. www.oldhamathletic.co.uk. 25 January 2022. 26 January 2022.
  14. Web site: Tommy Wright leaves. www.oldhamathletic.co.uk. 26 September 2022. 27 September 2022.
  15. News: Exclusive: The explosive allegations at the top of the Championship. The Telegraph . 29 September 2016 . 29 September 2016. Team . Investigations .
  16. News: Football coach 'took £5,000 bribery bung'. BBC News . 17 October 2019.
  17. News: Sawer . Patrick . Hardy . Jack . Football for sale: Agent and manager found guilty of bribery . 21 December 2019 . The Telegraph . 16 December 2019.
  18. Web site: Ex-Barnsley assistant Tommy Wright charged with bribery offences . 31 August 2018 . skysports.com . 14 September 2021.
  19. Web site: Former Middlesbrough winger Tommy Wright found guilty of bribery - but Swindon job 'is safe' . 20 December 2019 . gazettelive.co.uk . 22 September 2021.