Ian Wright has shared how football played a crucial role in turning his life around after facing imprisonment at the age of 19. The Arsenal legend, known for his remarkable career with the Gunners and his goal-scoring prowess, has become an icon for many football fans.
Although Wright achieved immense success on the pitch, he acknowledges that his life could have taken a very different turn towards a career in crime if it weren’t for football. His breakthrough in the sport came after a brief period of incarceration, and he views football as the saving grace that provided him with a second chance at life.
Wright’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative impact that opportunities in sports can have on individuals, emphasising the importance of second chances and the potential for redemption through the pursuit of one’s passion.
Wright said, as quoted by The Sun:
“Football saved my life but people are still in two minds about giving an offender a chance.
“By the time I got my opportunity at Palace at 22, I was ready because I clawed myself away from the bad elements in my life, doing silly things.
“People say the straight and narrow, it’s not straight and narrow, it’s twisty, it’s a nightmare, storms and hurricanes. What I would say to them now is: ‘You’re choosing to go on this path. It’s not easy, but you have to stick with it.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Football has saved many people from poverty and a life of crime and this is a profound message from Wright.
The Gooners’ legend has been using his influence positively and it makes us proud as he puts us in a good light.
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Ian Wright a legend in his own right, a man who loves the badge and felt so honored to represent the Crest, oh how much things could have been so different,
Respect for you is concrete Wrighty
For sure..from a real Arsenal man