Retiring Derek has been a Wright good servant to Toon
MAY I add my tuppence worth to the many more illustrious voices paying tribute to Derek Wright, who is leaving Newcastle’s treatment room after 38 years of devoted service.
A top bloke and an ultra professional our Derek. Wright by name and a right asset to his club.
I love long-servers me. Wonder why!
Seriously though, money cannot buy the loyalty, devotion and lasting impact of men such as Derek
Wright as well as higher-profile servants like Alan Shearer, Joe Harvey, Willie Mcfaul and Stan Seymour.
In passing may I offer up a couple of ‘did you know’ moments...
Did you know Wright was given his big break by Malcolm Macdonald back in the day? He had been an apprentice at Arsenal when Supermac was their star centreforward and years later after being appointed manager of Fulham Macdonald got dropped in it by the sudden departure of his physio – so he phoned Fred Street at Highbury seeking help.
Street told him Wright had just completed a three-year intensive course in physiotherapy up in Sheffield.
The next day he walked into Fulham and into the job.
Supermac used to play him in the reserves when short of numbers. He said: “If anyone got injured Derek would run across for his bag and then run on again to treat him!” Wright always prided himself upon being quick on the bag.
In his early days at Newcastle if two opposing players went down together he could not resist racing the visiting physio across the pitch to the other side despite carrying top timber. Much to the amusement of the Toon faithful who urged him on.
A second ‘did you know...’
Did you know why Derek Wright became known as Del Boy to all the Newcastle players?
I asked Shearer who told me: “Del is short for Derek and Del Boy just stuck.”
Of course, Only Fools And Horses had just hit our screens with huge impact in the early eighties when Derek arrived at SJP so it was an obvious port of call.
However, he was known not as
Del Boy by his first Newcastle manager Jack Charlton but Dennis.
Even Derek has no idea why – . except Big Jack, like Bobby Robson, never got anyone’s name right!
Enjoy your retirement Derek, Dennis, Del Boy and Legend.
You have earned your armchair as a true black and whiter.
A top bloke and an ultra professional our Derek. Wright by name and a right asset to his club.
Gibbo