Wright or wrong!

LOVEABLE rogue or uncontrollable rebel? It's impossible not to have an opinion on Mr Ian Edward Wright MBE.

To the sporting public, the 36-year-old is a maverick - a volcano waiting to blow its stack.

Whether it's making obscene gestures or brawling with opponents, he has courted controversy wherever he has been.

Last season he was banned for three matches and fined £17,500 for trashing the referee's room following a sending off against Leeds.

Next month he faces another misconduct charge after labelling the Scottish FA's judicial system a joke, following his 'sending off' for manhandling fourth official Willie Young.

Yet, speak to those who actually know him, and they talk about a completely different side to Ian Wright - a caring, sensitive individual who goes out of his way to help others.

Burnley centre back Mitchell Thomas knows more than most about the former Arsenal legend after the pair struck up a friendship during their early days as professionals in London. Now Wright is married to Thomas's cousin and the ex-Luton man insists, despite his disciplinary problems down the years, the national Press go out looking to nail him.

"It's not just Ian. I think the Press tend to jump on one or two players who are in that fiery category.

"Obviously, people have got to sell their papers but the players themselves just tend to get on with it and they bring the best out of the people around them in the end.

"But there's a side to Ian Wright people just don't see.

"He's a very caring person and he does an awful lot for charity.

"He goes and sees kids and gets so many different requests to do this and that.

"And though, obviously, he can't fulfil them all, he does as many as he can."

Those sentiments are echoed by former Blackburn Rovers star Tony Finnigan. He and Wright have been friends for as long as he can remember and, together with ex-Tottenham and Aston Villa midfielder Andy Gray, they are now business associates through their football agency 'Wright, Wright, Wright'.

Wright is the frontman of the operation and his name alone attracts a lot of young talent.

"If you say to any young player coming through 'Do you want to be a part of Ian Wright's agency' they tend to jump at the chance because he's an idol to a lot of them," said Finnigan.

"But in life, generally, Ian has a heart of gold and he's one of those people who just can't say no.

"I know he spends a lot of his time working for Esther Rantzen's charity and he would go out of his way to help anyone if he could.

"But whatever he does, he wants to be the best.

"Some people say fear drives them on and I think that's the case with Ian - fear of losing, and fear of not being the best at what he does."

However, one former England colleague has warned Wright he faces a rude awakening as he begins life as a second division player with Burnley.

Former Manchester United star Paul Parker followed the same path down the leagues two years ago, after playing over 100 games for the Old Trafford outfit. And after he made a total of just 14 appearances for Derby, Sheffield United and Fulham during the twilight of his career, he believes Wright may find his switch from Celtic more difficult to cope with than he thinks.

"I was spoilt by my time at United, no question about it," said the former England full-back, now first team coach at non-league Chelmsford City.

"After so long there, I got used to the routine, the set-up and, most of all, the facilities. "We lived in a bit of a comfort zone if you like

"When I left, I found it hard to get myself pumped up for games.

"It was certainly a rude awakening and I'm sure Ian will find the same."

Wright is bound to be the central figure in front of an expected crowd of more than 18,000 when Burnley entertain Wigan today in a Lancashire derby.

But the Clarets hit the road to face mid-table Colchester next weekend and, ironically, it was at Layer Road that Parker decided life in the lower divisions was not for him.

"I went to Colchester when I was with Fulham," said Parker. "And it was while sitting in the dressing room that I thought to myself 'I don't need to be doing this.'

"It was a tiny room, the facilities were far from what I was used to and it just struck me that, after all those years at Manchester United, the second division wasn't a place where I wanted to be.

"I'm sure it will be at places like Colchester and Blackpool that it will come home to Ian what moving to Burnley means.

"Because he is a name that people recognise, there will be no end of stick coming from the terraces and, with the crowds right on top of the pitch, it will be an experience he won't particularly enjoy.

"He might like the appeal of playing in the bottom divisions, but it certainly won't be the easy ride he might expect."

However, that's a view Mitchell Thomas finds difficult to share. He believes Wright is a sensitive figure who desperately needs to feel loved.

And after being subjected to abuse by Celtic fans last week, he believes the chance to become the darling of Turf Moor is just the tonic he needs.

"He's the type of player who needs to be loved by people because he is a passionate character," said Thomas.

"Sometimes he blows a fuse and there'll be times when one or two of us will have to calm him down.

"But that's just the winning streak in him and it's a vital part of his game.

"I think the criticism from the Celtic fans has hurt him.

"A lot of them said he was just a mercenary but he's proved that wrong by coming to Burnley because he could have joined a club in London if he had wanted to.

"But he genuinely loves football and he likes being with people who can get the best out of him.

"And I'm sure he'll end up proving people wrong again.

"No matter what he does he wants to win.

"He is a winner, he's very competitive and that's not just how he approaches football, it's how he approaches life."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.