Former Premier League player Tommy Wright, 36, is now tackling crime after becoming a police officer
A FORMER Premier League footballer is now tackling crime – after becoming a cop.
Ex-Leicester City striker Tommy Wright, 36, has swapped the touchline for the thin blue line after signing-up as a student officer with Leicestershire Police.
The former England under-20 star will be out on the beat in his hometown where he remains a cult hero for helping the Foxes get promotion to the top flight, in 2003.
Tommy, who also played for Blackpool, Barnsley and Aberdeen will have earned thousands a week as a player and says he has made the career move after missing being part of a team.
He applied for the role after seeing an advert over the summer while coaching professional League Two side Mansfield Town.
Tommy then decided to do something his family could be proud of.
He said: “I worked in football for 20 years and every part of it was a dream come true.
‘PART OF A TEAM’
“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 coaching at Mansfield Town when my wife came across the police officer recruitment advert.
“It caught my eye because, even though I loved being involved in football, I instantly knew this was what I wanted to do next.
“I felt like I had achieved everything I set out to do within football and once the process started to become an officer and I progressed through each stage I grew more and more excited about the prospect of joining the police.
“I had wanted to try something new for a while but I needed something that was rewarding, that would challenge me and provide me with a role that my friends and family would be proud of.
“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.
“In one way it’s like starting again, I’ve got a lot of experience to gain but also a lot to share.”
PREM STAR
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 represented England at under-19 and 20 level and was capped 15 times by his country at the European Championships and the FIFA World Championships.
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.
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.
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In all Tommy scored 61 goals in a career which spanned all four of England’s top flight divisions.
Tommy enjoyed a spell as a manager and coach winning the Southern Premier with Corby Town during the 2014-15 season.
He also took the reins at Nuneaton Town as player/coach before moving to Darlington, Stratford Town and later Mansfield Town.
Leicestershire Police said Tommy’s “life skills and experience” were “favourable qualities” which helped land him the job with the force.
