IAN WRIGHT today revealed how old pal Mitchell Thomas helped make him a Burnley player.

The ambitious Clarets have stunned the football world by signing the former Arsenal and England striker to spearhead their promotion charge.

Wright has joined the Clarets from Celtic on a contract until the end of the season and will make his debut against Wigan Athletic at an expectant Turf Moor on Saturday.

And the 36-year-old goalscorer explained that he was ready to bring a premature end to his glittering career after things had turned sour in Glasgow before Burnley defender Thomas helped bring about one of the most remarkable signings in the Clarets' history.

Wright said: "It's no secret that Mitchell Thomas is my best mate and I said to him I am just ready to jack it in.

"It was just getting to me, all the rubbish that they were writing in the papers.

"All I want to do is play football and it wasn't working for me.

"I just said to Mitchell how I was thinking about blowing it all in.

"Mitchell said let me talk to Stan.

"Every time I speak to Stan he says when am I coming to Turf Moor. Ray (Ingleby) then got involved and the next thing I know, it was happening."

Wright has experienced most things in career that has brought him over 300 goals and a clutch of medals in domestic and European football. But even he admitted that ending his career at Burnley had come as a pleasant surprise.

"It's strange really. It's been an unbelievable season for me. I started at West Ham and then went to Nottingham Forest on loan to try and get fit and then ended up at Celtic and now I'm at Turf Moor," he told Burnley Clubcall.

"Only football can conjur up a scenario like that. It's a great feeling.

"The one thing that's always important to me is the fact that I can play football and Burnley have given me the opportunity to do that." Wright and Stan Ternent go back a long way, having worked together at Crystal Palace in the mid-1980s and he's a player the Burnley boss has tried to land before.

"I've known Stan Ternent since I first turned professional and he has been on at me for years to sign for him so I've finally given in to him," Wright added.

"I just hope I can make some kind of contribution to their promotion push but the place has given me a really good feeling.

"If Burnley can get into the play-offs it means I could finish my career with a play-off final."

With top-scorer Andy Payton now starting a three-match ban, Burnley couldn't have recruited a replacement with a better pedigree ahead of the crunch clash with Wigan, which is sure to attract a massive crowd.

Ternent said: "I'm happy that I've been able to do the deal and I'm happy that Ian feels that he wants to come to Burnley and play for us. "He's in the twilight of his career now but he's still a sensational talent. I know Ian from a long time back when I was at Palace. He's a fantastic character, a great personality, and a lot of the players at Burnley will learn a lot from him."

The Burnley boss had rebuffed a suggestion yesterday afternoon that Wright had signed for the club, but the deal was then tied up yesterday evening.

"I have been on with it for a little while and it has taken a lot of sorting out.

"I nearly got him when he went to Nottingham Forest," said Ternent, who believes Wright will give his side extra momentum at a vital stage of the season.

"I hope so. It gives everyone a lift," he added. Wright's signing is a tremendous coup for the Clarets and his goals could push the club into the automatic promotion places over the last 17 games of the season.

And on the back of the recent £500,000 signing of Ian Cox, it proves that Burnley clearly mean business.

Clarets chairman Barry Kilby said: "We are stepping on the gas to get this promotion. Your guess is as good as mine how many it will put on the gate."

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