Football Special Report: 32 Greatest footballers in the history of the English Premier League (Part 9)
25. Ian Wright (Continued):
The Arsenal legend Bergkamp would see Wright making a run and he would deliver the ball that would help him score goals for the club. After playing for two straight seasons alongside Bergkamp, it was seen that Ian Wright was slowing down in terms of scoring
goals and making those perfect runs.
1997-1998 was the last season for Ian Wright in an Arsenal shirt. He proved his worth in the last season with the Gunners, proved everyone what he was capable of, and reminded everyone of his devastating goal scoring form. The season for him was simply a
rollercoaster ride and even those he was sidelined for most of the season because of his injuries, the Gunners saw the new emerging goal scorer, Nicolas Anelka. However, he came out in the later stages of the season and scored some marvellous goals for the
club. He then ended the season with a “long awaited” championship medal and later he managed to become one of the highest goal scorers for Arsenal, as he was able to take over Arsenal’s leading goal scorer Cliff Bastin.
Ian Wright needed two goals against Bolton on the last day to beat Cliff Bastin’s record of 179 goals. He scored the first after twenty minutes as he drove the ball into the lower left corner of the posts and managed to equalize with Bastin’s 178 mark. In
celebration, he ripped his Arsenal T-shirt to reveal the shirt he was wearing underneath which said: “179 – Just Done It!” However, he still needed another goal to cross Bastin’s mark. Later in the match, he got a perfect assist and a strike in the empty goal
was all it took for him to overtake Bastin’s record as he was able to set a new target for the “new boys” which was 179. That was the time when he gave his shirt the “appropriate” airing that it needed and showed everyone his shirt again after the final whistle
was blown.
Ian Wright’s record breaking goal was definitely not the easiest that he had scored as many others looked to be very easy for the eye. Some of the goals that he scored are still remembered by the Gunners. An outstanding lob against Swindon, a fabulous breathtaking
juggled chip against Everton and a weaker left footed shot against Auxerre are just a few examples of the goals that he has scored and that have stunned the fans of the English club, Arsenal. In total, Ian Wright scored 185 goals in 288 appearances that he
made for Arsenal. There was no match for the Englishman in the North London club and no one really managed to break his record until another legend entered the Gunners. It was Thierry Henry who later broke Ian Wright’s record, as the legendary French Man overtook
everyone and anyone that came in his way and scored some marvellous goals for his team.
By the time Ian Wright had his hands on the English Premier League title, he was too old to play more. He was 34 years old and he simply didn’t have more time to play for the English side even though he was in a good goal scoring form. He spent seven years
at the North London Club, Arsenal and he was simply, if not the best then one of the best goal scorers of his time. He blew out all the opponents that came down his way and there are still memories of Ian Wright scoring some fantastic goals for the Gunners.
He is still regarded as a legend in the English Premier League and that is only because of his “amazing” style of play and how he managed to score some breathtaking goals.
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