Ian Wright was emotionally reunited with his former school teacher and his first real role model Mr Pigden in a 2005 documentary, seeing the Arsenal legend break down in tears
16:43, 03 Nov 2025
DERBY, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 28: ITV Sport pundit Ian Wright during the Women's international friendly between England and Australia at Pride Park on October 28, 2025 in Derby, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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Ian Wright broke down in tears when he was reunited with his former school teacher(Image: Marc Atkins, Getty Images)
Ian Wright once opened up about a deeply moving reunion with a former teacher who guided him through his difficult childhood years.
The ex-Arsenal legend broke down in tears after being surprised by Mr Sydney Pidgen during filming for a 2005 documentary about Wright's time at the Gunners' former Highbury ground.
Mr Pidgen, who was also a Spitfire pilot during WW2, caught his former student off guard by turning up at the stadium where Wright netted most of his 185 goals for the club, causing him to become overwhelmed with emotion, with the striker believing he had died.
"Hello Ian, long time no see," Mr Pigden said to the Gunners icon. Wright immediately removed his hat and reached out for a handshake, saying in disbelief: "Mr Pigden. You're alive...I can't believe it. Someone said you were dead."
"As you see, I'm very much [alive]," his former teacher replied. "And I'm so glad you've done so well with yourself." Wright then covered his face with his cap and sobbed before hugging one of the most important people in his life.
Ian Wright
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Ian Wright met his old teacher in a 2005 documentary(Image: Youtube)
Wright, who celebrates his 62nd birthday today (November 3), previously shared the story about when he was reunited with his former teacher. "I literally started to cry like a five-year-old," Wright remembered.
"Uncontrollable crying because of how happy I was to see him. Looking back it was then that I realised how much of a positive impact that man had on my life. He's somebody that is very special to me.
"But I think what was more important to me than anything was how much he actually loved being a teacher. It's amazing what a teacher can do to somebody in their life."
Ian Wright
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The Arsenal legend broke down when he met Mr Pigden(Image: Youtube)
Wright regards Mr Pidgen as his first genuine role model growing up amid a turbulent household, viewing him as a paternal figure. Wright's dad abandoned the family, leaving mum Nesta to bring up her children in a single-bedroom property in Brockley, South London.
"He was a weed-smoking, gambling, coming-home-late, gambling-his-wages, womanising kind of guy," Wright revealed to the Players' Tribune. "He was rough with my mum and rough with all of us kids. And I don't know why, but he didn't like me in particular."
Wright remembered Mr Pigden again on the Stick to Football podcast last year, he shared: "He was the one that changed my life when I was, like seven. Everybody talks about that.
Ian Wright
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Ian Wright's emotional reaction has become famous(Image: Youtube)
"I was doing a television programme called "With a Little Help From My Friends". Me and David Rocastle (former Arsenal team-mate) were building an adventure playground just around Highbury for the disadvantaged kids.
"I was doing that with all my mates from when we grew up on my estate, so I had to go back to my old estate, get all my old mates, and everyone chipped in to build this adventure playground, which was really good because you didn't see them for years. It was great.
"They wanted me to do a segment where I go back to the club (Arsenal) and I'm sitting, looking around Highbury, because obviously everything went pretty well. We did well there.
Sydney Pigden
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Sydney Pigden was also a Spitfire pilot in WW2
"I'd been looking for this teacher for four, five years, went back to my primary school, nobody could trace where he was. So I actually thought my old teacher Mr Pigden had died.
"When I was sitting there, he came from behind. The one bit in it that always gets me is: 'I'm so proud of what you've done with yourself.'"
Wright also recalled memories of Mr Pigden on BBC's Desert Island Discs in 2020. "I know he loved me," he said. "I don't know why he chose me. I'm glad that he did. Once he come in, everything was so much better.
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"I used to collect the registers from the teachers. Then they made me milk monitor. I really liked that. It was really good. I just felt important.
"Then what he'd do, he'd put me back into the classroom, and then my writing got better. He wouldn't let me play football if he'd heard I'd been naughty in class. He just gave me a sense of feeling like I had some use.
"I couldn't find him. I'd been doing a television show and there was a bit in it where I had to go back to the ground. We were sitting there in a reflective moment and he just came over my right shoulder.'
"The first thing I remember doing is I ripped the hat off the top off my head. Then I said to him, 'Oh my gosh. I thought you'd died.' He said, 'I'm very much alive Ian."'
Wright continued: "He said how proud he is of me. Then I hugged him and because he was three or four steps up, I felt like I was seven again. He was one of the youngest pilots in World War II. He was one of the pilots chosen to do the flyover at Buckingham Palace.
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"I remember him saying he was more proud of the fact I played for England than him flying over Buckingham Palace. I love that man. Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry for people listening, I've just cried into this bumbling, crying guy.
"When he said that, he changed my life just by recognising, I don't know what it was when I was standing outside that classroom, that I needed more - and he gave it to me."
Sydney Pigden passed away in December 2017 at the age of 95 and Wright dedicated his 2016 autobiography 'A Life in Football' to his former teacher.