The family of Wolverhampton Wanderers and England football hero Billy Wright will join his former team mates on Tuesday when a Midland Metro tram is named in tribute to him.
Centro, the region’s public transport authority, will hold a special ceremony with guests of honour Vicky and Kelly Wright – the star’s daughter and granddaughter.
They will unveil a commemorative name plaque on tram number seven, one of the vehicles painted in the new silver and magenta livery.
Malcolm Finlayson, who made 203 appearances in goal for Wolves between 1956 to 1964, will be at the event alongside Bill Slater, who captained the team to FA Cup victory against Blackburn Rovers in 1960 and gained 21 England caps.
Roy Swinbourne, who scored 114 goals for Wolves as well as two in the famous victory against Honved in 1954, Bilston-born George Showell, who made 208 appearances for the club, and Bobby Mason, who won two First Division championship medals for the club, have also announced they will be attending.
Billy Wright’s daughter Vicky and granddaughter Kelly, aged 14, will be at the ceremony, which will start at Wednesbury tram station at 10.30am before moving to Wolverhampton station, with Express & Star reader Derek Horton behind the wheel.
Mr Horton from Stafford was picked out of the hat when he cast his vote for Billy Wright to receive the honour.
Wright defeated Great Barr preacher Francis Asbury and Walsall author Jerome K Jerome in a poll by taking an overwhelming 90 per cent of the votes.
Councillor Gary Clarke, chairman of Centro, said: “I used to attend all of Wolves home games when Billy was in his heyday. He truly was an inspirational local hero.”
The idea to put Billy Wright’s name on a tram followed a debate through the letters page of the Express & Star when a reader from Tettenhall put it to Phil Bateman, then corporate affairs director for the Midland Metro, through one of his weekly transport columns in the newspaper.
Peter Creed, honourary secretary of the Wolves Former Players’ Association, kicked off the campaign in October last year by publicly calling on Metro chiefs to put Billy Wright’s name on a tram, but Centro decided to put the idea to a vote and more than 200 people responded.
Metro bosses have previously named a tram after West Bromwich Albion legend Jeff Astle and a Lord Mayor of Birmingham.
7 Comments
Bravo, seriously worthwhile civic connection.
On a lighter note what other players/managers might induce this honour?
Bully-but would the tram stop at the end of the line?
McCarthy, would the tram ever leave its starting point?
Dougie Woodfield, the tram that never failed its customers.
very proud to have had such a great captain at the club and a tribute made to him after all his loyalty and success. RIP billy xx
One word.
LEGEND
and billy wud be so mad at the last few managers at the club and of sir jack when we got to the prem and he jump ship rip billy
A fitting tribute to a legend, will this mean that no matter what tram i get on and where it is going it will be the Wright one!!!!
A great tribute to a great player, at last someone got it Wright for once,
I was lucky to see the man play.
A TRUE legend! Boing Boing.
what great memories!
Unforunately I just missed seing Billy Wright play. but was lucky enough to see Malcolm Finlayson, what a goalie.
Anyone know anything about David Woodfield?
I always thought he was very sound and dependable