A COLCHESTER United legend has been immortalised on his old stomping ground.

A statue has been created of the flying winger Peter Wright, who was named the club’s player of the century in 2000.

It has been appropriately installed at the centre of the site of the old Layer Road ground, which is now a housing estate.

The bronze statue was unveiled in Turnstile Square by Mr Wright’s widow, Lindsey, and Colchester MP and lifelong U’s fan Sir Bob Russell.

A host of former U’s players, current captain Magnus Okuonghae and dozens of wellwishers attended the ceremony.

Wright signed for Colchester aged 17 in 1951 and scored 96 goals in 13 years, while he was still working part-time at Paxman Diesel factory.

He died, aged 78, in 2012 after a long illness.

MrsWright said she hoped the statue would mean Colchester United retained strong links to the area.

She said: “Although we all know about the history of the area now, future generations may not, so hopefully the statue will be there forever and a day.

“I am proud and he would have been well chuffed.

“He was a lovely man and a gentleman, he had six children and looked after everyone so well. Peter was one of the old school, but also one of lads when he was with his friends.

“I did not see him play, so the statue is not the Peter who I knew, but he would love it.”

The life-size figure was designed by artist Mandy Pratt and is a joint project between Abbey Developments, Colchester Council, the Hunnaball Family Funeral Group and other generous benefactors.

Peter’s son Steve, who also played for the U’s, said he was delighted with the statue, adding: “He was Mr Colchester United and it used to take hours to walk through the High Street if you were with him because everyone wanted to stop.

“We even lived on Layer Road when we were growing up and he had the opportunity to play for some of the top level clubs, but turned it down.

“Lots of people pushed for this statue and, if he was still alive, I am sure he would have loved to come and visit.”

Former teammate Bobby Hunt paid tribute to his friend.

He said: “He would be proud and it is a wonderful compliment to him. To think that we had me and him playing parttime is incredible and would just not happen in this day and age.

“If he had been a full-time player, then he could have gone right to the very top."