Vivian “Jaws” Wright (Philip Brodie) 2004-2005

First Regular Appearance: 7.15 (#307) Baptism Of Fire  Sunday 11th January 2004

Last Regular Appearance: 8.32 (#356) Play Off  Sunday 29th May 2005

Duration: EP: 307 - 356  |  SE: 7.158.32

Squad Number/Position: #1 (Goalkeeper) (2004-2005) / Manager (2005)

Last Seen: Securing Harchester's promotion to the Premier League. Escapes coach explosion but further whereabouts left unknown.

 

 

With his place as a Premier League goalkeeper, Vivian Wright had stints at Nottingham Forest, where Stuart Naysmith was a team mate, and Middlesbrough, where, during a match with Huddersfield early into the 2003-04 season, he bit off the nose of a rival player. This assault earned him the nickname “Jaws” and very nearly ended his professional career altogether. Never known as the most approachable goalie in a squad, Viv was put out of the game until Harchester came knocking three months later. Stuart was now in charge, though he and Viv parted on bad terms, and Viv's demanded signing fee looked set to dissolve the deal immediately. Curtis Alexander led the way however contributing a pay cut, with Luke Davenport securing the rest of the team on-board, and Harchester managed to bag Viv during one of their worse financial times.

 

 

The remainder of the season is eventful for Viv - he buys wife Chelsea Studs nightclub for her birthday, and holds up a jewellers whilst collecting the rings for Jeff Stein and Nikki Peggs wedding. He then abandons the team just as they face an important game against Arsenal, in order to save his marriage. Not to mention nutting "Stu-pot" and locking the dressing room door at half time against Everton, when match fixing allegations involving the manager rear their ugly head.

 

The Dragons are relegated to the First Division for Viv’s second season with the club, and following a master-plan by new chairman Eli Knox, Viv along with all remaining first teamers are trapped in the Championship. Chelsea is disappointed in her life with Viv, and embarks on an affair with his team mate Ryan Naysmith. It reaches the point where the two plan to flee the country in order to be together, but Chelsea ends up leaving alone, with only a note to Viv admitting she was seeing someone else. Viv sets his mind on finding the guilty man, and nearly has him with a shotgun in Ryan, but is deceived by the man into believing Clyde Connelly, who has just committed suicide, was responsible.

 

To everyone else around him, Viv seems to be adjusting to life without Chelsea, but suddenly he reveals she has returned and the two are giving it another go. Viv’s flatmate Lee is the first to discover Viv is imagining seeing Chelsea, and Viv's former Sports Psychologist Naomi Wyatt comes in to help. Following a violent outburst where he sees Clyde alive in the dressing room, only to assault Lee, Viv is taken away to recover, and is put on heavy medication for his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

 

Viv is slowly introduced back into the team as he recovers, and soon, with Don Barker permanently forced out, Viv is the man presented with the job of taking the Dragons to the Play Off final in Cardiff. Despite a few near misses along the way, including getting his shotgun out this time as the lads secretly train in the park, the team make the finals. However, the night before the big match, Viv is taunted by the truth of Chelsea’s affair, thanks to Don Barker, and now knows he was right all along to accuse Ryan. Viv vows to have his showdown with Naysmith, but knows the game must come first. They beat West Ham 1-0 and regain their place in the Premier League, but as the team board the coach celebrating their victory, Barker slams his car filled with petrol (and the body of Karl Fletcher) into the bus, killing all on board.

 

Nothing is found or heard from Viv Wright again, leaving those that survived the day to assume Viv was either dead or missing, though the truth was he survived - running a bar in Marbella (according to his actor) and one day would have had his day with Ryan!

 

In May 2020 Philip appeared at the Dream Team cast reunion fundraiseHarchester Reunited

 

Philip Brodie's Interview with Dream Team Diehard (July 2011)