Clubs: Crystal Palace, Arsenal, West Ham United, Nottingham Forest (L), Celtic, Burnley

International honours: England
Caps won at Palace: 5

Mercurial striker Ian Wright joined the Eagles in the Summer of 1985 and quickly made his mark as a highly effective 'super-sub' in his first season, scoring nine times to finish as Palace's second highest scorer with Phil Barber.

When Mark Bright arrived on the Palace scene the following year the duo soon established a marvellously successful striking twosome and it was largely their goals which took the club to the promotion play-offs and a return to the top flight in 1989. Ian's 27 League goals that season represent the club record in the higher divisions, while his total of 92 is equal with Mark Bright and the best in the top two sections of the league in our history. Again, Ian is our most prolific post-war marksman, having moved ahead of Johnny Byrne towards the end of February 1991.

A twice cracked shin bone reduced Ian's initial impact on his bow in the First Division, although he completely proved his worth among that august company, and was called up for England B duty in December 1989 before the injuries were sustained. No-one, or foe alike, will ever forget his dramatic appearance, again as a 'super-sub', in the FA Cup Final of 1990. Ian equalised for the Palace a few minutes after coming onto the field, then put us ahead in extra-time for one of the most telling substitutions in the annals of the great competition.

1990-91 was another eventful season for Ian: he gained full international honours, and completed his century of Palace goals to become only the fifth man to achieve that feat for us since the club's foundation in 1905. Ian scored twice as Palace beat Everton to win the Zenith Data Systems Cup Final at Wembley. A virtuoso hat-trick, scored in just eighteen minutes during the second-half of Palace's penultimate game of the term, at Wimbledon, demonstrated in magnificent style that, when he was on form, there was no more dangerous or exciting player in the entire Football or Premier League.

In September 1991 Ian moved to Arsenal for £2.5m and during his seven years at Highbury he would become an Arsenal legend as he broke Cliff Bastin's club goalscoring record.

Statistics

Player of the Year: 1989

Source: Crystal Palace FC, Player by Player Since 1960, Rev. Nigel Sands, (1996, Sporting and Leisure Press)