Top-notch physio and a great bloke

OLD PAL LEAVING TOON ROLE WAS GREAT SERVANT FOR FULHAM TOO

WHEN I was an England international and Arsenal centre-forward I wrote a book called “Win”.

I wanted a couple of youngsters to appear with me on the cover and rustled up two Arsenal apprentices.

One of them, beaming like a Cheshire cat, was a kid called Derek Wright, who has recently announced his retirement after 38 years as Newcastle United physiotherapist!

It was that early meeting with Derek which directly led to me launching his career as a physio when I was manager of Fulham.

I had retired early with a knee injury and Derek’s playing career had likewise succumbed to a bad knock when he was at York City after being released by Arsenal.

He had gone on to take a threeyear course in physiotherapy at Sheffield University and was looking for his first job when I happened to need a physio at Craven Cottage.

A guy called John Clinkard had upped sticks and shot off to Everton and in desperation I turned to my old physio at Arsenal, Fred Street, for advice. Fred told me he had just talked to “a lad who you will remember” called Derek Wright.

“He has no experience but he has passed his exams with flying colours and he is as keen as mustard,” said Street. I reckoned Wright had the extra advantage of having been a player himself so he would know what the guys he was treating were feeling.

Derek was so keen he caught the first train from Sheffield and was in my office after lunch. Within half an hour we had agreed a deal and he had signed a contract. “Right,” he said taking off his jacket, “where is the treatment room? Let’s get started”. Derek was a gem. He became the players’ confidante, never telling tales out of school, and doubled up as a player in the reserves when I needed him. I had got rid of a lot of senior players who were clogging up the works because I had brilliant kids coming through, but occasionally I needed a bit of experience in the ressies and would call on Terry Mancini, who was on our coaching staff, to play centre-half and Derek to play right-back.

If one of our lads got injured he would run to the touchline, grab his bag, treat them and then continue playing. Opposing teams didn’t know what to make of it.

Wright stayed with me until Jack Charlton got in touch to take him to Newcastle United in the mid-eighties. I was never going to stand in his way. It meant he was going home and to the club he supported.

Derek has been a loyal and terrific servant to my old club Newcastle. That so many top-notch players, from Alan Shearer to Steve Howey and Steve Harper, have paid unstinted tributes tells you everything.

Derek Wright has been a topnotch professional and is a topnotch bloke. I am delighted I played my part in getting his second career under way and I wish him all the very best in retirement.

If one of our lads got injured he would run to the touchline, grab his bag, treat them, and then continue playing