After impressing in pre-season with three goals in as many games before suffering a ligament injury, Danny Wright returned to the Gloucester City squad this weekend.
Coming onto the pitch in the 69th minute, Wright was unable to help the Tigers overcome Chorley who left the TigerTurf Stadium with a 2-0 victory.
In a career that stretches across 17 seasons, Wright has been troubling goalkeepers across the non-league system as well as the football league.
Moving back to Gloucestershire this summer, joining the Tigers from Havant and Waterlooville, it is his third spell in the county.
Playing for Forest Green Rovers, Cheltenham Town and now Gloucester City, Wright gracefully admitted that there is a preference.
“Yes, there is a favourite.
“There might be a video somewhere on the internet of me singing a certain song about one club whilst I was celebrating promotion with another,” he laughed.
In the aftermath of gaining promotion to the football league, a video surfaced on social media of the forward using expletives against FGR.
Wright’s 22 National League goals lead Cheltenham Town to the title that year, getting them straight back into the football league.
“I was never going to stay at Forest Green Rovers,” signing a two-year deal and only staying for one, “I did not want to.”
Before joining the Robins, Wright had spells at Gateshead and Kidderminster Harriers, but was always eager to return home.
“Gary Johnson called me, he told me the plan and it excited me, really excited me.”
Wright describes himself as a ‘Gary Johnson striker’, his goal return under Johnson at the Robins and Torquay United only compliments his view.
“Cheltenham Town needed to be in the football league, without the parachute payments, the club would have to field their youth team.”
Johnson had taken the reigns towards the back-end of the 2014/15 season, although he was unable to prevent relegation, the club extended his contract and the ambition was evident.
“There was 11 debutants on the opening day of that season, we could all sense the feel-good factor and to be honest there was no pressure on us.
“The fact that the club was financially dependent on promotion did not phase us,” he added.
Amounting 32 goal involvements across 43 league games, Danny instantly became a fan-favourite.
“Thanks to the Cheltenham fans, we had a chance to prove ourselves on the pitch.”
Wright believes the immense support gave the new players a clean state, a chance to impress.
Amidst his 343 National League appearances, Danny has crossed paths with multiple members of that promotion winning team – but some teammates stand out the most.
“Harry Pell and Aaron Downes especially, they are some of my best friends still to this day.”
Racking up 131 appearances for the Robins (his most for any club) and 52 goal contributions, Cheltenham Town is at the summit of Danny’s ever-lasting career.
Although he is yet to register his first goal for the Tigers, Danny is striving to do better and ‘go one further’ at the age of 39.
