- By Matt Graveling
- ` Sport
11 minutes ago
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Ian Wright watched the training sessions and then presented medals at HMP Pentonville in north London
“It changed my life because I knew that wasn’t the life for me.”
Ian Wright visits Pentonville Prison, just over a mile from Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and the former Highbury stadium, where the striker became a Gunners legend.
The former England player reflects on his own experience in prison when, in 1982, aged 19, he was jailed for 32 days in Chelmsford Prison for failing to pay fines and driving without a licence.
“Football saved my life,” says 60-year-old Wright. “People say you have to get on the right path, but that’s very hard, especially when you’re in prison with nowhere to go.”
Wright is in Pentonville to support the Twinning Project, a charity that pairs football clubs with prisons to offer inmates a Football Association-recognized coaching qualification.
He presented medals to 15 inmates, all graduates of a coaching course to reduce recidivism.
Since 2018, the charity has been putting together professional teams with local prisons. The program, which includes Chelsea, Manchester United and Everton, among others, has run courses for almost 2,500 inmates.
The founder of the Twinning project is David Dein, former co-owner and deputy chairman of Arsenal, who signed Wright from Crystal Palace in 1991.
“We now have 15 boys with a level 1 coaching badge,” says Dein. “Hopefully when they come out they can make progress.”
“The most important thing is that every time we can prevent an offender from reoffending, the taxpayer saves £50,000.”
One of the graduates is Dane Satchel, 38, a repeat offender who is currently in prison on drug charges.
He says: “The last time I came in I was young. I was 22; I came out at 26. Now I’m older – I’m 38 – it’s a completely different mindset. You don’t want to be there and.” out of prison like it’s a revolving door.
“I took other courses in prison, but I didn’t do anything like this.”
Satchel, who received his certificate and medal from Wright, says he was proud, but more importantly, he hopes it makes his family proud.
Pentonville Governor Ian Blakeman said: “Prisons can be difficult places. It’s really important to get something that’s outside the usual range of activities – it gives people hope and optimism.”
“We are very interested in getting more activities because we don’t always have enough at the moment.”
Pentonville, a Category B prison housing 1,200 inmates, has had a relationship with Arsenal since 2004, but the government wants more prisons and clubs to work together to reduce reoffending rates.
“I hope that the clubs also recognize the advantages. It helps people make positive decisions about what they want to do with their lives,” says Edward Argar, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Parole.
The final prisoner called to collect his certificate is Ashley O’Brien, who shakes Wright’s hand and accepts his Arsenal medal.
“My dad is a Manchester United fan,” laughs O’Brien. “I’m not sure he would like it if I wore that.
“I don’t think I’ll become a professional football manager, but let’s say I’m on the park when I have a child, I can transfer some skills. It’s also a good tool.”
“Many people in prison say they are a product of their environment or that that is all they know. So when you learn something new, something different, you have a choice.”
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