Billy Wright, CBE (6 February 1924 – 3 September 1994) was an English footballer for Wolverhampton Wanderers. A statue of him stands by their stadium in his memory.

Born William Ambrose Wright in Ironbridge, Shropshire, he played in the wing-half and other defensive positions. Billy was the first ever player to represent his country a hundred times. He captained England during their campaigns at the 1950, 1954 and 1958 World Cup finals.

His association with Wolves began in 1934 when he was taken on as a member of their ground staff; he made his first-team debut in 1939, becoming club captain soon after the Second World War. With him they won the First Division title three times (1954, 1958 and 1959) as well as the FA Cup in 1949. During his 541 appearances for Wolves and his 105 games for England, his disciplinary record was second to none — he was never cautioned or sent off by any referee. Of his 105 International appearances, 90 were as captain; 70 were consecutive games.

He retired as a player in 1959 and was awarded the CBE soon after. He became manager of Arsenal in 1962, but was unable to bring any success to the club; Arsenal never finished higher than seventh under Wright, and after a poor 1965–66 season — where Arsenal finished 14th and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Blackburn Rovers (who finished bottom of the First Division) — Wright was dismissed. Wright left management and later became a television pundit and Head of Sport for ATV and Central Television. He also joined the Board of Directors at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Wright became a minor media personality, and his marriage to Joy Beverley of the Beverley Sisters (at a time long before the era of footballers having celebrity girlfriends) was one of the most successful showbiz marriages. Wright was made an Inaugural Inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 in recognition of his impact on the English game.

He died from stomach cancer in 1994, aged 70.

External links

• Unofficial Wolves website — a tribute to Billy Wright
• The National Football Museum: Hall of Fame — Billy Wright
• BBC Tribute to Billy Wright

1924 births | 1994 deaths | Arsenal F.C. managers | Cancer deaths | Commanders of the Order of the British Empire | England international footballers | English football managers | English footballers | Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players | FIFA World Cup 1958 players

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