Magistrates have imposed a restraining order on former Oxford United manager Mark Wright after he admitted harassing his estranged wife.

The 38-year-old, who is now manager of non-league Chester City, pleaded guilty at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday, May 3, to harassment.

The charge relates to a series of phone calls made to Sarah Wright between November 2001 and March.

Magistrates imposed a 12 month restraining order on Wright. He can only contact his wife on matters regarding their children. Mrs Wright claimed he called her at all times of the day and night in a series of phone calls that left her feeling fearful.

A former Southampton, Derby, Liverpool and England player, Wright was forced to quit the game because of a serious injury in 1998. He managed Conference side Southport and Oxford United before taking the Chester post.

Wright, of the Parade, Parkgate, Wirral, said that he made the calls in an effort to win his wife back.

Michael Hogan, defending, said: "He comes here as someone who has experienced a very harmful breakdown of a marriage of some 14 years.

"Mr Wright has to accept that making the telephone calls has caused his wife a large degree of distress."

Mr Hogan said he did not want to go into depth about the circumstances of the case because of media interest.