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Topics: Ian Wright, Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Football, Premier League
James Taylor
Topics: Ian Wright, Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Football, Premier League
Ian Wright has revealed the teammate who 'bullied' him for years and made his life a nightmare during his early days in professional legend.
The Arsenal legend, who is now one of the most popular pundits, is set to be involved as part of ITV's coverage for England's World Cup qualifier against Andorra.
Thomas Tuchel's side come into the game in a commanding position, having all won of their opening games in Group K. But the real challenge looks to be a few days later on 9 September when England travel to Serbia, knowing victory would put them firmly in control of qualification.
Wright struggled to force his way into the England side and only scored nine goals in his 33 appearances for the national side. However, it was at the start of his club career where he found himself facing the biggest test.
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Speaking on The Overlap, he was asked if he had ever shared a dressing room with anyone he didn't like, and Wright was quick to respond.
He said: “Jim Cannon, when I got into the Palace squad. He was just a bitter old player, man. Scottish player, centre half.
"He made my first couple of years in professional football a f*****g nightmare, man. He was a bully in there.
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"You know when you go for the communal food and, listen man, I’m three months off the building site and I don’t know what’s going on, I hardly knew what to ever order properly.
“I remember when I was ordering, he would take the f*****g p**s out of everything I’d do. ‘You can’t afford that. Do you have that at home? How do you say that? Do you know how to say this?"
The ex-Arsenal forward also claimed that Cannon once two foot jumped him in the back during a training season.
But Cannon remains a legend at Selhurst Park, as the club's record appearance maker, having played 660 games for the Eagles.
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He captained the side for 10 years and was capable of playing centre back, left back and in midfield.
But Cannon, who was beaten to Palace fans' 'Player of the Century' award by Wright, hit back at the bullying accusations.
He said: "The bullying thing is a load of c**p. He didn’t like what I said to him. There was lots of things.
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“And I probably said lots of things to lots of players.
“I was the skipper at the time and that’s the way it was.
“And 37 years ago things were said that the woke society won’t allow you to say today.”