Former club manager, Liverpool captain and England captain returns to oversee club development.

Southport FC’c  new Board have announced Mark Wright as the new Head of Club Development. In a highly prestigious and exciting appointment for the Port the former England, Liverpool, Derby County and Southampton star Wright will overview the club’s on the field activities. This includes assisting the management team in assembling a competitive squad for the forthcoming season plus taking on a whole club responsibility contributing towards the club’s community and commercial initiatives. Wright will announce his management team later this week.

Mark Wright returns to the Merseyrail Community Stadium having been one of the club’s most successful Conference managers finishing fourth in 2001. Mark Wright then won the Conference title at Chester City in 2004 and also had managerial spells with Oxford United and Peterborough United. During an illustrious playing career, Wright captained England and Liverpool lifting The FA Cup in 1992 and made 45 appearances for England, playing in the semi-final of the World Cup at Italia 90 under Bobby Robson.

Mark Wright told Southport fc.net: “I am delighted to come back. The immediate aim of the team and I is to build a squad this summer and develop that squad throughout the season. I am looking to develop the club building on the successful community programmes and the commercial activities already in place. To me this is an all embracing role – developing players, working in the community with schools and youngsters plus bringing more commercial activity to the club. I am very excited about the project James Treadwell and Adrian Shandley have given me. Via our community delivery I am aiming to engage with the people of Southport and increase our gates. It will take time. I believe together we can really take Southport Football Club forward. It will be good to meet lots of familiar faces in the weeks ahead. I already feel at home.”

James Treadwell told Southport fc.net: “Mark Wright’s wealth of experience within the game is an asset to the club and I look forward to working together with Mark Wight and our new management team to ensure the club has a strong season in the Vanarama National League North. We have the highest profile and experienced figure in the National League North and Mark’s hunger and desire have come through clearly. This is the start of a new era and one that I believe will allow us to take the club forward.“