Do right by Billy
Do right by Billy
The Issue
A group of Wolves fans are mounting a campaign to have a statue of Billy Wright at Wembley.
They are not deterred by an initial rejection from the Football Association.
The campaign “Do right by Billy” believes the Wolves legend should be honoured at the home of English football for three reasons:
1 His position in football history is unique – the first player in the world to win a hundred caps.
2 Wembley was where the landmark was reached – against Scotland on April 11, 1959.
3 Next year will be the centenary of Wright’s birth. He was born in Ironbridge on February 6, 1924.
The group have now launched an on-line petition to back their campaign.
Two letters to FA chair Debbie Hewitt by a member of the group, Glenn Aston, did not receive a reply but a third attempt – a letter to chief executive officer Mark Bullingham – saw the idea thrown out.
“Our view on recognising individual footballers by way of statues has remained the same since the new Wembley Stadium opening in 2007,” said Bullingham in his reply.
“We commissioned one statue at the time at Wembley, which is of 1966 captain Bobby Moore. Bobby was selected to epitomise English football at its best with victory in the World Cup on that site.
“We have not changed our position over time and therefore do not have any current plans to commission or install any new statues at Wembley.”
Another member of the group, Steve Gordos, former sports editor of the Wolverhampton Express & Star, said: “We are very disappointed with this response.
“Being the first to a hundred caps means Billy has a permanent place in football history. I suppose you have to be my age, 78, to know he was not only a great player but a great ambassador for English football.
“I suspect our suggestion has not been put before the full FA council and I believe it should be. I believe they should honour Billy at Wembley. His place in football history is permanent.
“I was fortunate to be at Wembley to see Billy play his hundredth game for England. That achievement should have been enough to get him knighted. A statue might go a little way to making amends for that omission.
“Maybe because they are not my age, people at the FA do not realise Billy’s standing in the game, not just nationally but throughout the football world. He seems to be the forgotten man of England football.”
The petition, started by another member of the group, Clive Corbett, author of several books on Wolves, is at:
Wright missed only three internationals during his England career and was captain 90 times, a record later equalled by Moore. He also played in 70 successive England games – another record.
Wright, who was made a life member of the FA, died in September 1994.
1,474
The Issue
A group of Wolves fans are mounting a campaign to have a statue of Billy Wright at Wembley.
They are not deterred by an initial rejection from the Football Association.
The campaign “Do right by Billy” believes the Wolves legend should be honoured at the home of English football for three reasons:
1 His position in football history is unique – the first player in the world to win a hundred caps.
2 Wembley was where the landmark was reached – against Scotland on April 11, 1959.
3 Next year will be the centenary of Wright’s birth. He was born in Ironbridge on February 6, 1924.
The group have now launched an on-line petition to back their campaign.
Two letters to FA chair Debbie Hewitt by a member of the group, Glenn Aston, did not receive a reply but a third attempt – a letter to chief executive officer Mark Bullingham – saw the idea thrown out.
“Our view on recognising individual footballers by way of statues has remained the same since the new Wembley Stadium opening in 2007,” said Bullingham in his reply.
“We commissioned one statue at the time at Wembley, which is of 1966 captain Bobby Moore. Bobby was selected to epitomise English football at its best with victory in the World Cup on that site.
“We have not changed our position over time and therefore do not have any current plans to commission or install any new statues at Wembley.”
Another member of the group, Steve Gordos, former sports editor of the Wolverhampton Express & Star, said: “We are very disappointed with this response.
“Being the first to a hundred caps means Billy has a permanent place in football history. I suppose you have to be my age, 78, to know he was not only a great player but a great ambassador for English football.
“I suspect our suggestion has not been put before the full FA council and I believe it should be. I believe they should honour Billy at Wembley. His place in football history is permanent.
“I was fortunate to be at Wembley to see Billy play his hundredth game for England. That achievement should have been enough to get him knighted. A statue might go a little way to making amends for that omission.
“Maybe because they are not my age, people at the FA do not realise Billy’s standing in the game, not just nationally but throughout the football world. He seems to be the forgotten man of England football.”
The petition, started by another member of the group, Clive Corbett, author of several books on Wolves, is at:
Wright missed only three internationals during his England career and was captain 90 times, a record later equalled by Moore. He also played in 70 successive England games – another record.
Wright, who was made a life member of the FA, died in September 1994.
1,474
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Petition created on 5 June 2023