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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Liam McInerney

Ian Wright honoured as incredible mural unveiled where Arsenal icon grew up

An incredible mural of Ian Wright has appeared where the ex-England star grew up.

It is located in Brockley, south-east London, where a young Ian Wright grew up and honed his craft.

The stunning black and white portrait of the Arsenal and Crystal Palace legend took eight hours to paint.

Artist Lionel Stanhope - who lives in Brockley - said he wanted to commemorate the former England striker.

The 52-year-old said: “I finished it this morning. Wright played football in a park near me.

"I’m not a football fan but I have always known he grew up here.

The mural of Arsenal legend Wright in Brockley, south London (Lionel Stanhope/Triangle News)

“I listened to him on the radio a week ago and it was very inspiring about his upbringing and not having a father figure.

“It pushed me to do it and that he needs to have a painting locally.”

The mural is located on Upper Brockley Road on a vacant building hoarding. It depicts Wright wearing a flat cap with his famous wide eyed smile.

Wright while working as a pundit for BT Sport (Getty)

Lionel - who works professionally painting film and theatre sets - has been doing street art for five years.

And his latest masterpiece has been well received so far.

He said: “Lots of van drivers were stopping me tell me they like it.

“To be honest portraits are hard and I didn’t have the confidence to do them until now.”

Wright became a hero during his rise with Crystal Palace and Arsenal (PA)

Last weekend Wright appeared on BBC Radio's Desert Island Discs, where he touched on his rise from Non-League Football to Arsenal, via Crystal Palace.

And the now 56-year-old paid tribute to another south east London legend, David Rocastle, as he reminisced about his former friend and teammate.

"We grew up on the same estate. I've known David since he was five and I was nine and he was an inspiration to the whole estate because when he was 15, 16 he got signed by Arsenal as a youth team player.

"It's moments like this where it's difficult for me to speak about him because he was always looking out for me, wanted me to do the very best I can with the opportunities.

"When I got to Arsenal our first league game was away to Southampton and I scored a hat-trick in the game and David scored the other goal, it's the best football match I've ever played in.

"I don’t think of the accolades or the trophies I’ve won or the England caps – which mean the world to me – all I think about is the fact that I played with him for a year as a professional."

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