Mark Wright (footballer Born 1963) - Management Career

Management Career

Wright was appointed manager of Southport, then in the relegation positions in the Conference, in December 1999. He led them to a mid-table finish, and in his first full season guided the club to fourth place. At the end of that season, in June 2001, Wright left Southport to make his Football League management debut with the club at which he began his career, Oxford United, newly relegated to Division Three, the fourth level of the Football League, after an absence of more than 30 years. He resigned six months later after being fined and suspended by the Football Association, whose disciplinary commission found "took the view that there was a racial element" in offensive remarks made to a match official.

Wright was not out of work for long. Put in charge of Conference strugglers Chester City in January 2002 with the club second-bottom of the Conference, he kept them clear of relegation to the Northern Premier League. In the 2001–02 season, Chester reached the playoff semifinals but lost to eventual winners Doncaster Rovers in a penalty shootout. After the match, Wright expressed their determination "to go one better next season"; a year later they finished top of the division, regaining their league status four years after losing it. However, the day before the League Two campaign began, Wright left the club.

Peterborough United appointed Wright as manager in May 2005. The team were progressing well, when on 25 January 2006 Wright was suspended from his position as manager pending an internal inquiry. Six days later he was sacked for gross misconduct after failing to appear in front of the club's board. Wright launched legal action against the club for breach of contract and damage to his reputation over allegations believed to include comments of a racial nature made towards one of his staff.

A month after leaving Peterborough, Wright rejoined Chester City as manager. His initial contract with the club lasted until the summer of 2006. Wright staved off relegation and was rewarded with a two-year contract. However, after only three wins in the preceding 20 games, chairman Stephen Vaughan fired Wright with just one game remaining of the 2006–07 campaign.

In November 2008, Wright joined Chester City as manager for a third time. Despite initially improving the club's performances, Chester suffered relegation at the end of the campaign and Wright left seven weeks later, claiming that "the difficulties faced by the club made it impossible for to create the type of team would wish to take forward".

In 2012 it was announced he had become chairman of non-league side Widnes.

In August 2012, Wright was appointed as manager of Maltese club, Floriana.