The twice-capped, England international goalkeeper signed for West Ham United on a free transfer in summer 2007.

A free agent, the 29-year-old former Ipswich Town, Arsenal and Everton stopper left Goodison Park at the end of the 2006/07 campaign, whereupon he became Alan Curbishley's third summer arrival.

Ipswich-born Wright joined his hometown club as a schoolboy and progressed to make his senior debut in the old first division at the age of just 18, in a 1-0 defeat at Manchester City in August 1996.

After establishing himself as a regular in the team almost immediately, the young keeper went on to suffer defeat in three successive play-off semi-finals before making it fourth time lucky in May 2000, saving a penalty as the Tractor Boys beat Barnsley at Wembley to reach the Premier League.

Just five days after that promotion triumph, Wright made his full international debut for England in a 2-1 friendly win over Malta, saving another penalty to further enhance his growing reputation as one of the country's most promising young goalkeepers and earn himself a place in the Euro 2000 finals squad.

After one more season at Portman Road - in which he helped lead the newly-promoted Tractor Boys to a top-five finish and UEFA Cup qualification - Wright was the subject of a record £6m summer 2001 move to Arsenal, where he went on to make 22 league and cup appearances in the 2001/02 season - including four in the Champions League - winning a Premiership winners' medal.

However, after just a solitary season in north London, the 6ft 2ins stopper was on the move again, this time in a £3.5m switch to Everton. Sadly, knee and ankle injuries blighted much of his career on Merseyside, and the arrival of Tim Howard on loan from Manchester United in 2006 restricted him to just two appearances in his final campaign at Goodison Park.

Having arrived at the Boleyn Ground to provide competition for Robert Green, Wright made his Hammers debut in the League Cup second round win at Bristol Rovers in August 2007 and got two more appearances in the cup competition. In March 2008, he was allowed to join Southampton on loan in the hope of getting some games under his belt. Ludek Miklosko paid tribute to his attitude, saying: "Richard is a fantastic lad and we thought he just needs to play."