Homesick Richard Wright Leaves Preston After One Whole Week At Deepdale

Chris Wright

8th, July 2012

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By Chris Wright

“I’m a-comin’ home ma!”

Former Arsenal and England ‘keeper Richard Wright has left new club Preston North End despite only officially signing on last Saturday (on his release from Ipswich), with the 34-year old citing homesickness after requesting to have his one-year contract terminated with immediate effect.

Wright had only trained a few times with his new teammates before he realised he’d made a Gob Bluth-level ‘big mistake’. The man himself told the official Preston website:

“It might seem somewhat dramatic, but I have only been away from my home in East Anglia for a few days and I know already that I simply cannot live that far away from my family.

“I have children settled in school, so moving isn’t an option. I think it is only fair to be honest now rather than down the line when the Club may not be able to solve the problem that I am creating.”

Preston manager Graham Westley sympathised with Wright and his predicament:

“It takes a brave man to be honest in a difficult situation like this. Richard thought he could handle the separations from his family, but he has found it too much.

He is a good man and I wish him well on behalf of all at PNE.”

League One, eh? It can do funny things to a man.