FORMER Liverpool and England captain Mark Wright has returned to Southport as ‘head of club development’ – and the club’s former boss reckons he can take the Sandgrounders forward.
Wright made almost 500 League appearances for Oxford United, Southampton, Derby County and Liverpool as well as earning 45 England caps throughout his career.
His first job in management was with Southport, joining the Sandgrounders in December 1999 and leading them away from relegation trouble in the Conference.
The club finished fourth in Wright’s first full season in charge and he then moved on to Oxford United before the first of his three spells as boss of Chester City, winning the Conference in 2004.
His last managerial role was with Maltese outfit Floriana in 2012 but Wright has now returned to Non-League following Southport’s recent takeover.
Wright will be tasked with overseeing “the club’s on the field activities” and will announce his choice of management team later this week as Southport gear up for their return to the National League North.
Wright told the club’s website: “I am delighted to come back. The immediate aim of the team and I is to build a squad this summer and develop that squad throughout the season.
“I am looking to develop the club building on the successful community programmes and the commercial activities already in place.
“To me this is an all embracing role – developing players, working in the community with schools and youngsters plus bringing more commercial activity to the club.I am very excited about the project James Treadwell and Adrian Shandley have given me.
“Via our community delivery I am aiming to engage with the people of Southport and increase our gates. It will take time. I believe together we can really take Southport Football Club forward.”
