Ian Wright Childhood Story Plus Untold Biography Facts

Ian Wright Childhood Story Plus Untold Biography Facts

LifeBogger presents the Full Story of an Arsenal Football legend best known by the nickname “Wrighty“.

Our Ian Wright Childhood Story plus Untold Biography Facts bring you a full account of notable events from his childhood time to date.

The analysis involves his early life, family background, life story before fame, rise to fame story, relationship and personal life, etc.

Yes, everyone knows he, like Allan Shearer, is one of England’s most prolific goal-scorers of all time.

In the course of researching classic footballers, we found that not many fans have read Ian Wright’s biography, which is quite interesting. Now, without further ado, let’s Begin.

Ian Wright Childhood Story – Early Life and Family Background:

For Biography starters, Ian Edward Wright was born on the 3rd day of November 1963 at Woolwich in London, England. He was the third of three boys born of the union between his mother, Nesta and Father, Herbert.

Wright’s parents were immigrants who left Jamaica to seek greener pastures in England years before he was born. Therefore, Wright is a British national of black ethnicity with Afro-American roots.

Ian Wright Childhood Biography – The Runaway Father:

Young Wright grew up alongside his brothers Maurice and Nicky in the southeastern London towns of ‘Brockley and Crofton Park’ as well as Honor Oak Estate.

The football prodigy was only 18 months old when his father left the family, a development which left Wright to the mercies of a ruthless stepfather who found his way into the family.

“Dad left when I was about 18 months and my stepdad came in, I must have been about five, six, that’s when I remember him from and he wasn’t a nice fella.”

He once recalled.

Having a Troubled Childhood:

Wright didn’t get along well with his stepfather and was specifically hated for exuding confidence in an extroverted manner.

“Being the youngest boy, I wouldn’t say I was bad, but I was scally, I was very extroverted from a young age and very confident, and it rubbed people up the wrong way. Especially my stepdad, he didn’t like me at all”.

Recounts Wright.

As a result, the youngster was denied access to things he held dear, including watching his favourite television sports show, Match of The Day. According to Legend:

“Match of the Day and watching football was all I lived for. He’d come into the bedroom just before it started, and he’d say, ‘Turn around. Turn around to the wall’. We had to face the wall the whole time Match of the Day was on.

And the really cruel thing was that we could still hear everything. It was awful. I would cry myself to sleep whenever he did it.”

Consequently, Wright grew up as an angry young boy who would, years later, summarize his troubled childhood experience in 14 words:

“For a large part of my life, I was angry. I was always angry”.

Ian Wright Biography – The Positive Influence:

While Wright’s anger raged on, he was pacified by his school teacher at the time, Late Sydney Pidgen. It was Late Sydney who taught Ian how to read and write as well as helped him through the dark times.

“He was the first man who showed me any kind of love. He’s still with me. He’ll always be with me.”

Notes Wright of his late teacher.

Late Sydney (right) was Wright's first positive influence.
Late Sydney (right) was Wright’s first positive influence.

Picking up the bits of his shattered childhood and love for football, Wright decided to become a footballer when he was aged 14 but was rejected by many clubs.

Upon leaving school at the age of 16, the relentless youngster got himself trained in bricklaying and plastering while considering his options in football.

A couple of years later, Wright was not any closer to becoming a professional footballer and had his first life-changing issue with the law, resulting in his incarceration for two weeks.

“I had two cars but no tax or insurance. When they caught up with me, I went to Chelmsford prison for 14 days. The sound of those prison doors closing and the nutters inside taught me: I can’t live my life like this”.

Ian Wright Biography – Rise To Fame Story:

Suffice to say, it was the “cell experience” that gave Wright the shot he needed for success.

He first settled for Bermondsey-based Sunday league club Ten-em-Bee and thereafter committed to semi-professional Greenwich Borough in 1985.

It was at Greenwich that the star in the making put up enough impressive performance to secure him his first professional contract with Crystal Palace in 1985.

While at Crystal Palace, Wright impressed fans and his coaches during his first season. By the end of his second, he had reached a hundred goals tally for Crystal Palace.

Ian Wright was one of Europe's best Goal scorers during his playing days.
Ian Wright was one of Europe’s best Goal scorers during his playing days.

These tremendous early achievements, among other feats, fetched Wright international honours and a record transfer to Arsenal in 1991. The rest, as they say, is history.

About Ian Wright’s Wife and Children:

Ian Wright has been married twice. We will bring you details about his past relationship and marital life.

First was Wright’s relationship with his girlfriend named, Sharon. Wright met Sharon at a time when she already had a son called Shaun. He adopted Shaun and later had a kid with her called Bradley.

Shaun and Bradley grew up to become professional footballers who both played for The New York Red Bulls.

Meet Ian Wright's children - Bradley (left) with his brother Shaun.
Meet Ian Wright’s children – Bradley (left) with his brother Shaun.

Moving on, Wright got married to his first wife who goes by the name, Deborah. The now-estranged couple first met at a bus stop and began dating until marriage.

Their marriage was blessed with four children. They include Brett, Stacey, Bobbi and Coco. Wright and Deborah later got separated after he cheated on her with a waitress and BBC researcher.

The football legend is currently married to his second wife, Nancy, and they both have two daughters named Lola and Roxanne.

Meet Ian and his wife, Nancy.
Meet Ian and his wife, Nancy.

The couple has been through a lot, including surviving an armed robbery by a gang that held Nancy at knifepoint in their home.

Wright was far from home at the time, working as a pundit in Brazil during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Fortunately, no one was hurt, including his daughters, who were fast asleep while the robbery operation took place.

Ian Wright Lesser-Known Career Facts:

Do you know?

  • Ian wrote and published his autobiography “Mr Wright” while he was still playing for Arsenal in 1996. Where’s the fire?
  • He was given an MBE award shortly after his retirement from football.
  • Ever since he was first signed by ITV to present his own chat show, “Friday Night’s All Wright”, Ian has clinched numerous TV and radio presenting gigs as well as appeared in commercials.

Personal Life:

Wright is a football legend who is known for his extroverted nature as a pundit and former player.

Beyond his extroverted disposition is an individual who resents the initial cards life dealt with him for his first 19 years and is on a mission to catch up with what life should have been.

“Maybe now that you’ve read my story, you’ll see me on the television flashing a smile, and you’ll really understand that I wasn’t born with it. I earned it.”

He notes.

Football icon Wright is more than an exuberant pundit; he's a man reshaping his initial life challenges. As he remarks, the smile he wears now on TV wasn't inherited but hard-earned.
Football icon Wright is more than an exuberant pundit; he’s a man reshaping his initial life challenges. As he remarks, the smile he wears now on TV wasn’t inherited but hard-earned.

The legend, among other endeavours, works on giving back and desires to see football accessible to people who cherish it both on and off the pitch.

Ian Wright Lifestyle:

Wright lives a far more modest life than anyone might expect. No thanks to his expensive divorce from his first wife, Deborah and income tax issues that bedevil his post-football endeavours.

“I’m constantly getting cab drivers coming to pick me up, seeing I live in a normal terraced house and saying, ‘Blimey, is this where you live? I expected something bigger.”

He revealed.

Whichever way expectations tilt, one thing remains constant: Wright has made happiness a choice and proves that life is not as hard as it seems.

Ian Wright's modest house.
Ian Wright’s modest house.

Fact Check:

Thanks for reading our Ian Wright Childhood Story plus Untold Biography Facts.

LifeBogger strives for accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver stories about Classic Footballers. Have you read the Life History of Paul Gascoigne and Roger Milla?

If you find something that doesn’t look right, please share it with us by commenting below. We’ll always value and respect your ideas.

Hi there! I am Hale Hendrix, a passionate football enthusiast and writer dedicated to uncovering the untold stories of footballers' childhood and biography. With a deep love for the beautiful game, I have spent countless hours researching and interviewing players to bring to light the lesser-known details of their lives.

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