Arsenal legend Ian Wright officially a Hall of Famer

Few players are as synonymous with Arsenal Football Club as Ian Wright. The ebullient striker wreaked havoc on the opposition throughout the 90s en route to becoming Arsenal’s record goal scorer (until some guy named Thierry Henry overtook him some years later), lighting up the pitch with his magnetic play and his even more magnetic energy. Last lacing up his boots in North London over 20 years ago, Wrighty has continued to be the club’s most vocal and notable cheerleader, loudly and proudly carrying the banner for the North London side as a celebrity and pundit.

While his legacy with the Gunners was etched in stone long ago, today, his legacy as a Premier League legend was cemented as Wrighty was voted into the second class of the Premier League Hall of Fame, joining fellow Arsenal legends Theirry Henry, Patrick Vieira, and Dennis Bergkamp.

Ian Wright is a success story like few others. A rocky childhood and early failures to earn a spot at a club saw Wrighty bounce around amateur and non-league teams as he toiled to earn the interest of a professional team. It wasn’t until the age of 21 that he finally got his break when he was scouted by Crystal Palace in 1985 while playing semi-professional football.

After 6 successful seasons at Selhurst Park, Arsenal signed Wright and the rest, as they say, was history. The English striker spent 7 years in North London, amassing 185 goals over 233 appearances for the Gunners. Wrighty’s prolific penchant for scoring saw him lead the league in scoring in his debut season and was a part of Arsenal’s first Premier League-winning side during the 97-98 season.

Since hanging up his boots in 2000, Wrighty has become a pop-culture staple in England, featuring on countless television shows as well as enjoying a successful career as a soccer pundit.