WRIGHT RETURNS!

Photo: Darren Robinson

NOW HEAR THIS . . . Tommy Wright addresses the Athletic players during training.

TOMMY Wright has made a return to Athletic once again to take up the job of assistant boss to John Sheridan.

The 51-year-old, who achieved success at the club working with both Sheridan and then five years later Lee Johnson, is embarking on a FIFTH stint at SportsDirect.com Park including two spells as a player.

Athletic have said that at this stage, in keeping with fitness coach John Harbin and first-team coach Richie Wellens, Wright is back to "help out with pre-season training".

But the club hope that, once certain details have been ironed out, the trio will all stay on a longer-term basis to help Athletic's cause as the club aims to progress up the table in Sky Bet League One in 2017-18.

Former winger Wright is a long-term friend of Sheridan's who made more than 100 league appearances for Athletic as a tricky winger for three years from 1986.

After a good spell under Joe Royle, he moved on to Leicester for a fee of £300,000 as he missed out on Athletic's "pinch me" years.

Enjoying success with Leicester, Middlesbrough and Bradford among others, the Scot returned to Athletic as a coach in 2002 and progressed from working with the under-16s to become Sheridan's assistant.

He helped the club reach the play-offs and then signed a three-year contract before leaving the club shortly after Sheridan was sacked in 2009.

Wright was reunited with former Leeds playing colleague Sheridan as his number two at Chesterfield and took on the role of caretaker boss when Sheridan was dismissed.

He came back to Athletic under Johnson in 2014 and left to link back up with Johnson at Barnsley, who he later helped into the Championship through the play-offs as assistant to Paul Heckingbottom.

Wright lost his job at Oakwell September, 2016, following reports that he took a £5,000 payment from undercover reporters posing as football agents.

He denies any wrongdoing in relation to breaching FA rules over player transfers, with his lawyer stating at the time the allegations surfaced: "Any suggested acts contrary to criminal law or those of the FA and Fifa are categorically denied."

Wright, Harbin and Wellens will take their places in the dug-out for the first time tomorrow as Athletic face their opening pre-season friendly at Stalybridge Celtic (3pm kick-off).

* TOMORROW'S game is being streamed live on the club's official Facebook site.

Go to www.facebook.com/OfficialOAFC to watch the action.

* ATHLETIC'S players are to swap codes as they take on Shaw Cricket Club in a game of T20 cricket on Friday, July 21.

The match is part of Shaw CC's 120th anniversary celebrations.

Entry is via a donation on the gate and the action starts at 6pm.