Mr Pigden repaid the compliment telling Ian that he was more proud when Ian made his England debut than his own flight over Buckingham Palace as a pilot to mark the end of the Second World War. Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Wright had listeners in tears when he recalled his incredible bond with Mr Pigden, the primary school teacher who shaped his life, Wrighty could not believe it when they were reunited in 2010, Ian Wright taunts Cesar Azpilicueta by sticking his tongue out after Arsenal equaliser against Chelsea, ARSENAL NEWS LIVE: Follow for all the latest on the Gunners, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). “It was with my dear friend David Rocastle. He spent his last couple of years in professional football at a number of clubs around the country and in total, he played 581 league games, scoring 387 goals for seven clubs in England and Scotland. One time she asked me about being hugged. Insight, wit and analysis as BBC correspondents, journalists and writers take a closer look at the stories behind the headlines. Your subscriptions, bookmarks & playlists will sync across web and mobile apps. Once he come in, everything was so much better. In one of the most beautiful moments ever captured on camera, Wright was seen being reacquainted with his idol while making a documentary at Highbury in 2010. "I used to collect the registers from the teachers. Tap ‘Menu’ and then ‘Times Radio’ to listen to the latest well-informed debate, expert analysis and breaking news. He went on to be the second highest scorer in Arsenal's history and to win 33 caps for England. I really liked that. I'd been doing a television show and there was a bit in it where I had to go back to the ground. Ian Wright is a former professional footballer and now a football pundit on TV and radio. Wright relived that experience very emotionally this week on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. Mum wasn’t really fussed. After impressing as a forward at Palace, he was bought by Arsenal for a record fee in 1991. By SecretPro, 16 February in General Chat. The programme that offers a female perspective on the world. Happy to … Read about our approach to external linking. The England icon praised his old teacher - who passed away in December 2017 at the age of 92 - for being the first to give him a sense of responsibility. Wright, who dedicated his 2016 autobiography A Life in Football to Mr Pigden, said: "I couldn't find him. It made me realise I can’t do this. In an era of accountability, inspection looms large for teachers – but we should make sure that love looms larger, writes Ann Mroz. Why does Vaughan Williams’s masterpiece appeal to so many castaways? Every teacher wants to leave a mark. Ian Wright, former Arsenal and England footballer, chooses the eight tracks, book and luxury he would take with him to a desert island. And then I hugged him and because he was 3 or 4 steps up, I felt like I was 7 again. His football career had finally begun. But this is what I’d start with.”, Seeing his boots under the England number 9 shirt in the dressing room at Wembley, Ian could feel the tears welling up: “I remember Gazza saying: ‘Look at Wrighty, he’s going to cry.’ And I swear, if Gazza doesn’t say that then I’m probably going to burst into tears.”. Listen to Ian Wright's Desert Island Discs, Listen to David Beckham’s Desert Island Discs, Listen to Gary Lineker's Desert Island Discs, John Motson is castaway on Desert Island Discs, Tony Adams chooses his Desert Island Discs. gobuchul. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. "He said how proud he is of me. The Arsenal legend and recent I’m a Celebrity… contestant spoke movingly about his inspiration, Sydney Pigden, a teacher who passed away in 2017 at the age of 95. Then I hugged him and because he was three or four steps up, I felt like I was seven again. He began his career at Crystal Palace before moving to Arsenal where he became their highest goal scorer of all time, a record only surpassed eight years later by Thierry Henry. Sometimes what they leave is only the faint memory of a presence. It was really good. DISC ONE: The Marriage of Figaro: Duettino - Sull'aria by Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, composed by Lorenzo Da Ponte and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart DISC TWO: Looking For You by Kirk FranklinDISC THREE: River Deep Mountain High by Ike and Tina Turner DISC FOUR: Redemption Song by Bob Marley & The WailersDISC FIVE: Mysteries of the World by MSFB DISC SIX: Endlessly by Randy CrawfordDISC SEVEN: Crown by Stormzy DISC EIGHT: Just Fine by Mary J Blige, BOOK CHOICE: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark HaddonLUXURY ITEM: A seven iron golf club and golf ballsCASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Endlessly by Randy Crawford, Presenter: Lauren LaverneProducer: Cathy Drysdale, See all episodes from Desert Island Discs.