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Ebbsfleet’s Josh Wright has thanked the club for their support after his second son was born prematurely last month.
Wright’s wife Hollie had their second boy 12 weeks early, weighing just 2.4lbs, on February 11 but the 33-year-old midfielder has carried on with the day job, knowing it is helping him get through a difficult period.
He was back in action for the Fleet during Saturday’s goalless draw with Hemel Hempstead at Stonebridge Road. Wright carried his first son, also named Josh, onto the pitch when the teams came out and spoke openly about the tough time his family has been going through.
“It hasn’t been easy but these things happen in life,” he said. “I’m not the type of person whatever’s gone on in my life from when I was young and to the adult I am now, I’ve never been one to want to sit indoors and mope around as I think things through too much.
“My wife actually came to the game with our eldest who was only one last week and she’s had to leave early as she’s had to shoot back to the hospital. We were at the hospital this morning ourselves together, I was doing my pre-match at the hospital because it is what it is.
“But I’m doing what I can to help support my team-mates, this football club, the fans, the gaffer, the people that have put the trust in me.”
Speaking on Saturday, Wright added: “The hospital’s been amazing. It’s three weeks today he was born, it was the day of the Bath game where I believe I was due to be playing. I was keeping dialogue with the club and in the end we were in the hospital for 72 hours and Hollie, my wife, went through hell.
“But the hospital did amazing, they protected her, protected the baby and they’re looking after the baby incredibly well now and on the whole he’s doing well.
“I look at it and the way I describe it every day is two steps forward, one step back, but two steps forward is better than two steps back and one step forward if that makes sense.
“It’s positive but then there are little negatives. We had a bad day yesterday (Friday) but I just try to focus and as long as I’ve got family and friends around me and I come to places like this, my workplace, as this is my work, and this is the place that pay me and put food on the table for my family at home, my wife and my two kids now, and I have to respect that.
“Yes, the club have absolutely supported me and protected me from minute one and that’s a credit to the whole club, Damian (Irvine, chief executive), the gaffer, the fans, the players, everyone. They’ve said to me do what you need to do but I’ve wanted to come back in and I’m giving it everything.
“Obviously, I missed the other night and I spent the evening at the hospital and at home with my wife. Listen, as long as my boy gets out and he’s safe, that’s all I care about, and as long as we get promoted that’s all I care about.
“I’m not the only one going through that in life and there’s a lot worse that can happen in life and could be happening in this situation I’m in now so thank God, all’s okay at the moment, long may it continue and let’s hope I’ve got him here celebrating at the end of the season.”
On walking out with his eldest son ahead of kick-off, former Charlton and Gillingham midfielder Wright explained: “I had one of them today. I said to Hollie why don’t you come to the game today, get out since yesterday because she’s been through it and she said all right.
“Suddenly we were laying in bed last night, I said why don’t I just bring him on the pitch, he’s been brilliant, the little boy Josh, my first one, he’s only one but he’s a great character and he smiled the whole time. I think we’ve got some videos of it and Hollie did.
“He smiled the whole time and that made me happy and then obviously I looked up and I saw Hollie go and they wasn’t here, I found out they had to go back to the hospital.
“But I had one (son with me) today, let’s hope I’ve got two in my arms come the final game of the season, or whenever it is, celebrating with a promotion because I think this whole football club and everyone associated with it deserves it.”
National League South leaders Ebbsfleet are back in action on Tuesday night at home to play-off chasing Worthing.
