Playing career:

Club Apps Goals
Oxford (1980-82) 11 1
Southampton (1982-87) 222 11
Derby (1987-91) 171 10
Liverpool (1991-98) 212 7
TOTALS 616 29

England debut: 1984 v Wales. 45 caps in total, one as captain.

Managerial record:

Club M W D L
Southport (1999-2001) 84 35 22 27
Oxford (2001-01) 22 4 7 11
Chester (2002-04) 120 63 34 23
TOTALS 226 102 63 61

WRIGHT was transferred three times in his playing career for just over £3m. His biggest move was from Southampton to Liverpool for £2.2m in 1991.

His solitary playing honour was skippering Liverpool to an FA Cup Final win over Sunderland in 1992. He was part of the England team which reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 1986.

A back injury forced his retirement from playing in 1998 aged 35.


WRIGHT played for Liverpool when Posh scored a famous 1-0 win over the Mighty Reds in a Rumbelows Cup tie at London Road in 1991.

He was given an average mark of 6 by Posh match reporter Melvin Beck.

Wright said: "I do remember that game. The grass was long, the floodlights were rubbish and Bruce Grobbelaar dropped a right clanger.

"All credit to Peterborough though, they played well on the night and deserved to win."


WRIGHT won the FA Cup with Liverpool and won 45 caps for England, but it's old Derby County manager Arthur Cox whom he classes as his mentor.

Wright said: "I've picked up top tips from all the managers I worked with, but Arthur is my main man. He treated players like men and with great respect, but he would also pull you down if you needed it.

"He made me captain of Derby which was a great honour and I still talk to him regularly now. Don Howe was an England coach in my time and his defensive work was outstanding, while you couldn't help but learn from the likes of Terry Venables and Sir Bobby Robson either."

BARRY Fry reeled off 10 managers to be successful in the Football League after cutting their teeth at non-league level.

1 Martin O'Neill (Wycombe).
2 Brian Little (Tranmere).
3 Gary Johnson (Yeovil).
4 Brian Talbot (Rushden & Diamonds).
5 Barry Fry (Barnet).
6 Sammy McIlroy (Macclesfield).
7 Neil Warnock (Scarborough).
8 Colin Murphy (Lincoln).
9 Dave Penney (Doncaster).
10 Steve Cotterill (Cheltenham)

WRIGHT becomes the 20th manager in Posh Football League history. He succeeds the longest serving boss in Barry Fry. The shortest reign of those employed full-time in the post was endured by Billy Hails.

1 Jimmy Hagan (September 1960-October 1962).
2 Jack Fairbrother (January 1963-February 1964).
3 Gordon Clark (April 1964-September 1967).
4 Norman Rigby (December 1967-January 1969).
5 Jim Iley (March 1969-September 1972).
6 Noel Cantwell (October 1972-May 1977).
7 John Barnwell (May 1977-November 1978).
8 Billy Hails (November 1978-February 1979).
9 Peter Morris (February 1979-June 1982).
10 Martin Wilkinson (June 1982-February 1983).
11 John Wile (May 1983-October 1986).
12 Noel Cantwell (November 1986-July 1988).
13 Mick Jones (July 1988-August 1989).
14 Mark Lawrenson (September 1989-November 1990).
15 Chris Turner (January 1991-December 1992).
16 Lil Fuccillo (December 1992-December 1993).
17 John Still (May 1994-October 1995).
18 Mick Halsall (December 1995-May 1996).
19 Barry Fry (May 1996-May 2005).
20 Mark Wright (May 2005-??)