Ex-Prem star who retired to become cop is now captain of Britains police team
A former Premier League and England youth star who hung up his boots to become a cop has made his footballing comeback as captain of Britain's national police team.
Ex-Leicester City star PC Tommy Wright signed up as a student officer in 2020 after his professional football career came to an end. The 38-year-old helped The Foxes back to the Premier League in the 2002/2003 season before playing for Barnsley, Brentford, Blackpool and Aberdeen.
He also represented England at under-19 and under-20 level and was capped 15 times by his country at the European Championships and the FIFA World Championships.
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As a youth player, Tommy was described as ‘’one to watch” by BBC Sport's Phil McNulty before he went on to play over 250 professional games during an 11-year career.
Now, the striker has returned to the pitch after making his debut for the UK Police Football Association in a 2-1 victory against the national police service of Ireland.
The response officer led the team out to play the Garda Siochana Football Association at Luton Town's Kenilworth Road last Wednesday (November 2nd).
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PC Wright said he jumped at the chance to play for the Leicestershire Police men's team before being selected for the police national team representing Great Britain.
He said: “A special mention must go to Sergeant James Thomas for setting up the side and also to the players who have already won five trophies. I was made captain of the team this season which fills me with so much pride – leading such a successful side and great group of men.
“Being able to combine my previous career with my new one has been amazing and to continue to do something I love means a lot to me. To be selected to represent the GB side was a first for me and a great experience to play alongside officers from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
“I have previously played in two friendlies for the England police team and the target now is to be selected in the squad for the European Championships next year which are being held in England.
“I have been lucky enough to represent my country previously at a European Championships and a World Cup during my playing career so to be selected for the police national side next year and to represent Leicestershire would be an honour and fill me with immense pride.”
PC Wright has been treading the beat in his home town where he remains a cult hero for scoring Leicester's winner against arch-rivals Nottingham Forest in 2003. He also enjoyed a spell as a manager and coach winning the Southern Premier with Corby Town during the 2014-15 season.
He also took the reigns at Nuneaton Town as player/coach before moving to Darlington and Stratford Town. It was during his time managing the education programme for Mansfield that he spotted a job advert to become a trainee police officer this summer.
He said previously: "I worked in football for 20 years and every part of it was a dream come true. I feel very fortunate to have been involved in it as a player, a coach and a manager which was something I had always wanted to achieve.
“I have always worked as part of a team, and that along with communication skills and people management, have set me on the right path to become a police officer. I was lucky enough to represent my hometown by playing for Leicester City and to now be given the opportunity to represent Leicestershire Police is something that I am immensely proud of.
Tommy made his debut for Leicester City in the Premier League in 2002 aged 17 – just six months after leaving school, in a match against Leeds United.
The following season he scored the winning goal against Nottingham Forest in a 1-0 victory in the East Midlands Derby on April 8, 2003.
He also played for Walsall, Grimsby, Kidderminster, Luton Town and Darlington, where he won the FA Trophy final at Wembley in 2011 in front of 60,000 fans. Wright scored 61 goals in a career which spanned all four of England's top-flight divisions.
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