History

5. Wright breaks Bastin's goalscoring record

Ian Wright

Ian Wright breaks Cliff Bastin's goalscoring record 13 September 1997

'Wrighty' cemented his place in Arsenal history on a magical day at Highbury.

The effervescent striker had moved to within one goal of Cliff Bastin's record tally of 178 with a double against Coventry over four weeks earlier but three successive blanks had kept him waiting.

Another anti-climax looked possible when Alan Thompson gave Bolton a shock lead at Highbury but Wrighty latched onto Dennis Bergkamp's pass to fire in the equaliser after 20 minutes.

That goal took him level with Bastin but, in the excitement, Wright removed his shirt to reveal a T-shirt with the words '179 - Just Done It!'.

He only had to wait five minutes to put that right. Bergkamp's surge took him into the box, his low shot was parried and Patrick Vieira slid in to knock the ball into Wright's path a yard from goal. He couldn't miss.

The record was his but, typically, Wright wasn't finished. He rounded off his hat-trick - and a 4-1 victory - in the second half and took home the match ball.

Few would bet against Thierry Henry doing likewise when the final season at Highbury gets underway. Wright ended his Arsenal career with 185 goals; the French striker finished the 2004/05 campaign just four short of that mark.

 

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