RIP, Tommy Wright – One Of Everton's Finest

Tommy Wright, one of the finest full-backs ever to grace Goodison Park, has sadly passed away at the age of 81.

There is fierce competition for the title of greatest full-back in Everton's history, but there is no doubt Tommy was always part of that argument.

An FA Cup winner in 1966, league champion in 1970 and regular England international, Tommy made 374 appearances for his only club.

His full-back partnership in the late ‘60s, with Tommy on the right and World Cup winner Ray Wilson on the opposite flank, was peerless.

A boyhood Evertonian who grew up idolising Dave Hickson and Tommy Eglington, Tommy first watched Everton as a seven-year-old in 1951 and continued to attend Goodison Park as a fan long after his playing days had ended.

Above: Tommy Wright, seventh from the left, with the Everton squad ahead of the 1968 FA Cup final

He joined Everton from Liverpool Schoolboys as an inside right, before converting to full-back.

Tommy’s days as a forward clearly helped him as he became one of the new breed of attacking full-backs.

His tackling was snappy and sure, he was utterly unflappable in temperament and his superb athleticism meant he was rarely stranded upfield.

Tommy made his first-team debut in October 1964 in an Inter City Fairs tie against Valerengen, a week short of his 20th birthday.

So swift was his progress that he rapidly ousted Alex Parker as first-choice full-back and went on to make 374 first-team Blues appearances, only once as a substitute.

Never flashy or spectacular, he was utterly dependable.

His commitment to the Royal Blue cause was never better advertised than during the closing stages of the 1966 FA Cup final.

With his side holding on to a 3-2 lead, Tommy was stricken by chronic cramp when Sheffield Wednesday broke down his flank.

With no one supporting, he sprinted after his opponent, skipper Brian Labone screaming him on, made a decisive interception and carried on as if nothing had happened.

Never a man to court publicity, he once told the Gwladys Sings The Blues fanzine: "It’s a dream come true when you’ve always supported Everton and always wanted to play for them. That was always my one ambition in life, to play for Everton," then typically played down his own role in the side: "The likes of Alan Ball, Alex Young and the rest took the pressure off if you got the ball. All you did was give it to them and let them do all the work. All my job was to get the ball off the other side and give it to them."

Tommy Wright was much, much more than that.

Following that FA Cup win he was virtually ever-present over the next five seasons, an era which coincided with some of the most sparkling football ever seen by an Everton side.

Capped 11 times by England, he was one of four Evertonians who played in the 1970 World Cup tournament and excelled in the group game against Brazil – Pele, Jairzinho, Rivelino et al.

After that tournament injuries started to take hold and he missed large chunks of the 1971/72 and 1972/73 seasons.

In a match at Wolves in April 1973 he limped off injured and never played a senior game again; still aged only 29, he announced his retirement soon after.

In May 1974 he was awarded a testimonial, against Glasgow Rangers.

Wright left football altogether, working in security and then at Garston docks. Just a few years after his retirement, his nephew, Billy Wright, became a stalwart of the Everton defence, even playing in the same number two shirt once distinguished by his uncle.

He became an Everton Giant in 2016. In a pre-recorded presentation, the Blues legend was handed his prize by former teammate and fellow Giant Joe Royle.

“Lots of people have won awards in football but this has never been more deserving,” said Royle.

“I’ve said it before but he was the best right-back I was fortunate to play with.

“I’ve been watching Everton a long time and he is still the best I have seen in a Blue shirt.”

Ivan Ponting's 'Player by Player' Everton volume concludes his profile on Wright with the words: "No one sums up a player more accurately than his fellow footballers and they were unequivocal in their judgement of Tommy Wright: to them, quite simply, he was one of the best."

He was absolutely one of Everton's finest.

Rest in peace, Tommy.