Wright: Jermaine Malaki (Jermaine)

2004-2006 (Player Details)

Midfield

Born: Greenwich: 21-10-1975

Debut: Derby County (h): 07-08-2004

5’10” 11st 9lb (2003)

Wright started his career at Millwall as a trainee, but moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers, without having made his debut, for £60,000 in December 1994. He could not establish a regular spot and he had a loan spell at Doncaster Rovers in March 1996 and made thirteen League appearances. He started four League games and came off the bench sixteen times, while in the Cups he scored once in one appearance and four more from the bench, before he joined Crewe Alexandra in February 1998 for a fee of £25,000. At Crewe, his career took off under the guidance of Dario Gradi, who switched him from the right wing to a creative role in the centre of midfield. In July 1999, after rejecting the offer of a new contract, he was transferred for a fee of £500,000 to Ipswich Town, where George Burley saw him as a replacement for Kieron Dyer, who had just been sold to Newcastle United. He scored five times in forty-seven League starts and two as a substitute and played six games in the Cups while at Crewe. His career thrived under the guidance of Burley and he scored ten times in one hundred and eighty-four League appearances, of which thirty-seven were from the bench. In addition he scored once in thirty-three starts and four substitute appearances in the Cup and other competitions. His career then stalled after he surprisingly opted to move to relegated Leeds United rather than Everton in July 2004. He fell out of favour at Leeds in 2005 and was loaned out first to Millwall, where he scored twice in fufteen League games and made one appearance in the League Cup, and then, in January 2006, to Southampton where he linked up with Burley once more. It took a few weeks for him to regain match fitness but he then shone during the successful run at the tail-end of the 2005-06 season, making thirteen starts in the League and one in the FA Cup. After his loan spell ended, he returned to Elland Road where the remaining year of his contract was cancelled by mutual consent. He returned to Southampton for a trial during pre-season training and signed with the club on 10th July 2006 on a two-year deal keeping him at St Mary’s until June 2008. After his move became permanent he made a further seventy-four starts and four League appearances from the bench and netted just once. He also started seven times and came on as a substitute once in the Cups. Jermaine is the cousin of former Arsenal star Ian Wright, and played alongside Ian's son Bradley at Southampton. On 11th July 2008, Wright signed for Blackpool on a one-year deal with the option of a second. He made his debut for the Seasiders on 9th August 2008 in a 1-0 home defeat to Bristol City. However, he suffered an achilles injury in his third League match for the club against Sheffield United on 23rd August 2008 and a month later he underwent an operation which was expected to keep him out of action for up to four months. It was unfortunate for the club and the player as he had started the season with two fine displays against Bristol City an Norwich City and the omens were looking good.He never managed to establish himself in the side on his return. On 9th June 2009, Blackpool confirmed that, along with seven other players, Wright had not been offered a new deal and that he was free to leave. While at Bloomfield Road he started three League games and one League Cup game without scoring.