TWB22: 04/05/21

Ian Wright made himself an instant idol at Highbury on the back of his showmanship, commitment and finishing ability. A hat-trick for Arsenal on his League debut set him on his way to becoming the leading goalscorer in the club's history. George Graham, the Arsenal manager, considered him indispensable to the Gunners side which reached four major Cup finals in three seasons in the 1990s. 'No successful Arsenal side had ever been so dependent on one man,' Graham said. In a last hurrah at Highbury, Wright helped the club win the Premier League title in 1997-98. Graham rated him as 'one of the top-dozen strikers I have ever seen', as an instinctive finisher in the mould of Jimmy Greaves and Denis Law. 'Just like them, Ian is a natural,' Graham said. Following his £2.5 million transfer from Crystal Palace in 1991, Wright finished the season as the leading goalscorer in Division One, with a total of 29 goals. Three years later he scored for Arsenal in 12 consecutive games, a club record, between 15 September and 23 November 1994. 'Ian had all the qualities you want from a striker: lightning pace, sharp reflexes, courage, and an eye for goal,' Graham said.