Derby Day Memories: Keith Wright

Former Morton striker Keith Wright scored a double in the 5-1 win at Love Street on 10 April 1999 and he tells how Ton fans still approach him to this day to reminisce about his derby-day brace in Paisley.

Keith, now 52, recalled:

“What I remember most about that game wasn’t my double; it was the celebrations after it. All the players were away up the Morton end after the game taking a bow.

“Any time Morton have played St Mirren over the years, I’ve always told my boy about that result and how we were all holding hands in a line running towards the penalty box and the away support.

“The fans were still in the ground half an hour after the game. They didn’t want to leave. You just didn’t realise how much it meant to the fans until you played in it. I was amazed how much it meant.

“I’d say to the Morton fans: ‘Sorry I didn’t do better in my time there, but I loved my time there and I loved the victory at Love Street!’

“I think the only thing I did was score two against St Mirren! And I have been remembered for it. There have been a few Morton fans who’ve come up to me at Scotland games and mentioned it.

“In fact, it was either at the Germany or Poland game at Hampden a couple of years ago that a couple of Morton fans came up to me.

“They shook my hand saying that they were young boys at the time but the game was one of their best memories. That was nice to hear.”

Kevin Thomas netted a hat-trick in the game and despite scoring twice, Wright always had a slight regret that he didn’t score a treble, either through a disallowed goal or taking the penalty that Thomas converted. He explained:

“I always thought I was onside and it shouldn’t have been disallowed, but watching a video of the game, it was well offside. I thought it was closer but when I saw it on camera, I went too early.

“Also, when we were awarded the penalty, I got the ball first. Kevin and I were both on a hat-trick, with about five minutes to go.

“But he was on the penalties so I reluctantly gave him the ball. I was the senior pro but at that time if you’d scored the most recent penalty, you were on them and it was all his. I was still gutted!

“There was actually a game at Cappielow against Hamilton not long before it when I was on a hat-trick and we got a penalty.

“But I hit the bar and it actually went out the ground behind the [Sinclair Street end] goal. If I scored that I would have been on the penalties against St Mirren as well.”