Pat Wright (footballer)

Patrick Daniel Joseph Wright (born 17 November 1940) is an English football coach and former professional player who made 230 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham City, Shrewsbury Town, Derby County, Southend United and Rotherham United.[1] He played as a full back. He has coached at club and national level all over the world.

Pat Wright

Personal information
Full name	Patrick Daniel Joseph Wright
Date of birth	17 November 1940
Place of birth	Oldbury, England
Position(s)	Full back
Youth career
	Springfield BC
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1959–1962	Birmingham City	3	(0)
1962–1967	Shrewsbury Town	201	(3)
1967–1970	Derby County	13	(0)
1970	→ Southend United (loan)	11	(0)
1970–1971	Rotherham United	2	(0)
1971–1972	Waterlooville
Teams managed
1971–1972	Waterlooville
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Wright was born in Oldbury, Worcestershire, and turned professional with Birmingham City in 1959.[2] He made his debut in the First Division on 28 November 1959, deputising for Brian Farmer in a 2–1 defeat at Blackburn Rovers,[3] but played only twice more for the first team at the end of the 1961–62 season before moving to Third Division club Shrewsbury Town. Wright spent the majority of his active playing career with Shrewsbury, making more than 200 appearances for the club.[1] He went on to play for Derby County and Southend United before making his first foray into coaching as player-coach at Rotherham United.[2]

In 1971, he was appointed player-manager of Waterlooville of the Southern League,[2] leading them to the Division One South title in his first season,[4] and then joined Portsmouth, initially as reserve team coach and later as chief coach.[2] He went on to coach all over the world, including spells with the Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates national football teams, and scouted both in England and abroad.[2][5] He set up his own coaching company which has operated since 1980,[5][6] and was on the planning committee of the Football Association's School of Excellence.[2]

References

1. "Pat Wright". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
2. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 136. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
3. Matthews, p. 195.
4. "Waterlooville". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
5. Paxton, Charlotte (23 May 2008). "Academy is Pat's labour of passion". icWalsall. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
6. "Academy History". Pat Wright International Academy. Archived from the original on 23 February 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2009.