Paul Wright

Paul Wright (born July 29, 1969 in London, England) is a U.S. soccer forward who spent most of his career in the U.S. indoor leagues. He began his career with the San Diego Nomads in the Western Soccer Alliance, led the American Professional Soccer League in scoring in 1994 and played four seasons with the Kansas City Wizards in Major League Soccer. He currently plays for the San Diego Sockers of the Professional Arena Soccer League. Youth While born in England, Wright and his family moved to the United States when he was a child. They settled in Modesto California, and attended Mark Twain Junior High School where he began playing soccer in local youth leagues. At some point, his family moved to San Diego where Wright would join the powerhouse La Jolla Nomads soccer club. He also played for Grossmont High School, leading the league in scoring his junior and senior seasons. When he graduated in 1986, he held the school's single season scoring record with 39. Professional In 1987, Wright moved to the Nomads senior team, the San Diego Nomads which played in the Western Soccer Alliance. The Nomads won the league championship that season and again in 1988. In 1990, the WSA merged with the east-coast based American Soccer League to form the American Professional Soccer League (APSL). The Nomads spend one season in the APSL before leaving the league. In 1989, the Cleveland Crunch of the Major Indoor Soccer League drafted Wright with the sixth pick of the expansion draft. On March 6, 1990, the Crunch traded Wright to the San Diego Sockers. The Sockers, perennial contenders, won the MISL championship that season with Wright named as the Championship Series Unsung Hero. Wright remained in San Diego until the MISL collapsed in 1992. On January 7, 1993, Wright signed with the Milwaukee Wave of the National Professional Soccer League (NSPL). Although the Wave failed to make the playoffs, Wright's forty-five goals in twenty-five games led to his selection as a first team All Star. That summer Wright signed with the Los Angeles Salsa of the outdoor American Professional Soccer League. In October, 1993, the Salsa loaned Wright to the Baltimore Blast of the NPSL. Wright was back the Salsa for the summer 1994 season, but after the Salsa folded that fall, he signed with the Wichita Wings of the NPSL for the 1994–1995 season. Wright would not return to the NPSL until 1999.