Jeff Wrightson
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| Jeff Wrightson | ||
 |
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jeffery Joseph Wrightson | |
| Date of birth | May 18, 1968 (age 38) | |
| Place of birth | Newcastle upon Tyne, England | |
| Height | 6'1" | |
| Playing position | Defender | |
| Youth clubs | ||
| 1980-1986 | Wallsend Boys Club, Newcastle United | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1986-1987 1987-1992 1992-???? ????-???? |
Newcastle United Preston North End Gateshead Blyth Spartans Total |
4 (0) 166 (4) ? (?) ? (?) 170 (4) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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A member of the famous Wallsend Boys Club Jeff Wrightson was a product of the Newcastle United youth set up which also gave us Ian Bogie and a certain Paul Gascoigne. Wrightson was however a classy centre back who despite his obvious talent never really lived up to his potential.
[edit] Newcastle United
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne on May 18, 1968 Jeff signed apprentice forms with the toon upon leaving school in July 1984. When he turned professional two years later though Jeff struggled to make any real inroads towards a first team that at the time included current Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder making during his stay at St James' Park just 4 appearances before being released at the end of the 1986-87 season.
[edit] Preston North End
Immediately however Jeff was snapped up by legendary Preston North End boss and former Magpies defender John McGrath to add both steel and class to his newly promoted sides defence. Used mainly as a substitute in his first few months of the 1987-88 season Jeff started to make a real impression when asked to come in and bolster up North End's leaky defence. With some typically consistent performances Jeff helped the Deepdale club to a comfortable mid table position. The following 1988-89 season though was a totally different story with Wrightson forming a new three pronged central defencive partnership with Bob Atkins and Adrian Hughes. With Preston also employing two wing backs and packing the midfield they stormed to the end of season play offs only to lose to eventual winners Port Vale. From then on though Preston began to struggle and although Jeff was his usual consistent self, even winning the clubs 1990-91 player of the year award the teams performances on the pitch were at times woeful due mainly to the clubs policy of selling off there best players to balance the books. In fact during a three year period PNE sold Tony Ellis, Tony Philliskirk, Mark Patterson, Gary Brazil, Warren Joyce, Brian Mooney, Alan Kelly and Ian Bogie for a pitiful combined total of £1.2m without ever really replacing them. It therefore comes as no surprise that a team who should have been challenging for promotion was now more often caught up in a relegation dog fight. During the 1991-92 season and after three disappointing seasons Jeff found his career had come to a crossroads. Jeff though after turning down the offer of a new two year contract by the now manager and McGrath's successor Les Chapman was surprisingly at the end of the season after 197 games and 5 goals released. Despite his reputation Jeff found that the only club interested were Blackpool but after an unsuccessful trial period he was now at the age of 24 without a club.
[edit] Back Home
After deciding to return to his native North East Jeff signed for non-league Gateshead and in nearly 10 years with the club became a legend at the club making over 350 appearances for them before enjoying spells with Yeovil Town, Spennymoor United and Blyth Spartans.
With hindsight Jeff may feel that had he signed the contract offered by Preston in 1992 he would have gone on to better things as not long after the club were taken over by BAXI and the rest as they say is history. There is no doubt he had the ability to do so. However he can take some comfort in the fact that on his native Tyneside and in Gateshead in particular he will surely be remembered as one of the greatest players ever to pull on the shirt of Gateshead Football Club.
