Bailey Wright
Wright with Preston North End in 2016
Personal information
Full name Bailey Colin Wright[1]
Date of birth (1992-07-28) 28 July 1992 (age 31)[2]
Place of birth Melbourne, Australia
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[3]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Lion City Sailors
Number 3
Youth career
1998–2004 Langwarrin
2005 Mornington
2006 Dandenong Thunder
2007–2008 VIS
2009–2010 Preston North End
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2017 Preston North End 179 (8)
2017–2020 Bristol City 72 (1)
2020 → Sunderland (loan) 5 (0)
2020–2023 Sunderland 84 (4)
2023 → Rotherham United (loan) 7 (0)
2023– Lion City Sailors 4 (2)
International career‡
2008–2009 Australia U17 3 (0)
2014– Australia 29 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 July 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 March 2023

Bailey Colin Wright (born 28 July 1992) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or full-back for Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors and the Australia national team.

Before moving to Lion City Sailors, Wright played his entire senior career in England, with Preston North End, Bristol City and Sunderland.

He was selected for Australia's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Club career

Wright spent his formative years at Langwarrin, before playing a season each with Mornington and Dandenong Thunder. He was identified as a promising talent, eventually earning selection for the Victorian state team in 2007.[4] He honed his skills further with the Victorian Institute of Sport in 2008, returning to Langwarrin in 2009 where he made several senior league appearances, before moving overseas in July 2009, signing a two-year scholarship with Preston North End after a protracted clearance saga.[5]

Preston North End

In his first season with Preston North End, Wright played predominantly as a centre-half for the reserves and under-18 teams, but was eventually called up to the senior squad in April, sitting on the bench for the club's fixture away to Coventry City.[6] He commenced the 2010–11 season with his debut senior appearance in the first round of the League Cup, playing the full 90 minutes in the Lilywhites' 5–0 win against Stockport County. On 13 December 2010, Wright was handed a two-and-a-half-year professional contract.

Wright made his league debut for Preston on 5 March 2011 against Norwich City.[7] He scored his first professional goal for Preston on 7 April 2012 against MK Dons.

Wright was voted Young Player of the Year of Preston North End for the 2012–13 season.[8] On 1 May 2013, he was handed a new two-year contract, with the option of staying at Preston North End for another year.[9]

Wright won promotion via the play-Offs with Preston in 2015, defeating Swindon Town 4–0 at Wembley on 24 May 2015.

Bristol City

Wright with Bristol City in 2019

On 6 January 2017, it was announced that Wright joined Bristol City for an undisclosed fee, signing a 2+1⁄2-year contract.[10] On 7 January 2017, he made his debut in the FA Cup third round tie against Fleetwood Town. He scored his first goal for Bristol City in a 1–1 draw with Norwich City on 7 March 2017.[11] At the start of the 2017–18 season, Wright was named Bristol City captain.[12]

Wright featured as Bristol City reached the semi-finals of the 2017–18 EFL Cup with wins over Premier League opponents Watford,[13] Stoke City,[14] Crystal Palace[15] and Manchester United.[16] Wright played as City lost in the semi-final tie against Premier League leaders Manchester City.[17] Wright was released by Bristol City at the end of his contract in July 2020.[18]

Sunderland

Wright signed a six-month loan deal with League One club Sunderland on 21 January 2020.[19] On 2 August 2020, Wright signed for Sunderland on a permanent basis, on a two-year deal.[20] He scored his first goal for Sunderland in a 2–2 draw with Rochdale on 27 October 2020.[21]

Loan to Rotherham United

Wright joined fellow Championship club Rotherham United in a deadline day loan move on 31 January 2023.[22]

On 1 July 2023, Sunderland announced his departure from the club. Wright made 107 appearances in total, serving as club captain. During this time he lifted their first trophy since 1973, the 2020-21 EFL Trophy at Wembley Stadium, before earning promotion back to the English second tier for the 2022–23 EFL Championship.

Lion City Sailors

On 9 July 2023, Wright joined Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors, signing a two-year contract with an optional one-year extension.[23]

International career

Wright was a member of the Australia under-17 squad that reached the quarter-finals of the AFC U-16 Championship, narrowly missing a place at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup when they lost 2–3 against United Arab Emirates.

He was also selected as part of Ange Postecoglou 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, one of two new inclusions.

Wright made his national debut starting in a friendly match against Saudi Arabia at Craven Cottage in London. He scored a header in this debut giving Australia a two-goal lead.[24]

He was in the Australia national football team preliminary squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia but did not make Bert van Marwijk's final 23.[25]

He was selected as part of Graham Arnold 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar in which he came on as a substitution in the last group stage fixtures against Denmark.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 7 April 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Preston North End 2010–11[26] Championship 2 0 0 0 2 0 — 4 0
2011–12[27] League One 13 1 0 0 1 0 — 14 1
2012–13[28] League One 38 2 0 0 1 0 2[a] 0 41 2
2013–14[29] League One 43 4 4 0 2 0 2[b] 0 51 4
2014–15[30] League One 27 1 2 0 1 0 3[b] 0 33 1
2015–16[31] Championship 38 0 0 0 3 0 — 41 0
2016–17[32] Championship 18 0 0 0 3 0 — 21 0
Total 179 8 6 0 13 0 7 0 205 8
Bristol City 2016–17[32] Championship 21 1 3 0 — — 24 1
2017–18[33] Championship 36 0 0 0 4 0 — 40 0
2018–19[34] Championship 12 0 3 0 0 0 — 15 0
2019–20[35] Championship 3 0 0 0 1 0 — 4 0
Total 72 1 6 0 5 0 — 83 1
Sunderland (loan) 2019–20[35] League One 5 0 — — — 5 0
Sunderland 2020–21[36] League One 33 2 0 0 1 0 5[c] 0 39 2
2021–22[37] League One 37 2 1 0 5 0 3[b] 0 46 2
2022–23[38] Championship 14 0 1 0 1 0 — 16 0
Total 84 4 2 0 7 0 8 0 106 4
Rotherham United (loan) 2022–23[38] Championship 7 0 — — — 7 0
Lion City Sailors 2023 Singapore Premier League 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Career total 347 13 14 0 25 0 15 0 401 13
  1. ^ Appearances in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ a b c Appearances in League One play-offs
  3. ^ Three appearances in EFL Trophy, two in League One play-offs

International

As of match played 1 June 2022[39]
International statistics
National team Year Apps Goals
Australia 2014 1 1
2015 7 0
2016 4 0
2017 9 0
2018 1 0
2019 2 0
2020 0 0
2021 0 0
2022 1 1
Total 25 2
As of match played 15 November 2017. Australia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Wright goal.[39]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition Ref
1 8 September 2014 Craven Cottage, London, England 2  Saudi Arabia 3–1 3–2 Friendly [40]
2 1 June 2022 Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar 25  Jordan 1–1 2–1 Friendly [41]

Honours

Preston North End

Sunderland

References

  1. ^ "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Bristol City" (PDF). English Football League. p. 9. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  2. ^ "FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017: List of players: Australia" (PDF). FIFA. 2 July 2017. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Bailey Wright". socceroos.com.au. Football Federation Australia. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  4. ^ "The Wright Stuff". PNEFC. 16 April 2010. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  5. ^ "FFA ends Wright, Parish standoff". Goal!Weekly. 10 November 2009. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Wright: An Amazing First Year". PNEFC. 21 April 2010. Archived from the original on 22 April 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  7. ^ "Aussies Abroad Weekend Wrap – Australia News – Australian FourFourTwo – the Ultimate Football Website". Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  8. ^ "John Welsh Is 2013 Player Of The Year". Preston North End FC. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  9. ^ "Preston North End: Bailey Wright signs new contract". Preston North End FC. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  10. ^ "Defender Bailey Wright signs for Bristol City from Preston North End". Bristol Post. 6 January 2017.
  11. ^ "Bristol City 1–1 Norwich". BBC Sport. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  12. ^ "SOCCEROOS DEFENDER NAMED BRISTOL CITY SKIPPER". FourFourTwo. 4 August 2017. Archived from the original on 18 January 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Watford 2–3 Bristol City". BBC Sport. 22 August 2017.
  14. ^ "Bristol City 2–0 Stoke City". BBC Sport. 19 September 2017.
  15. ^ "Bristol City 4–1 Crystal Palace". BBC Sport. 24 October 2017.
  16. ^ "Bristol City 2–1 Manchester United". BBC Sport. 20 December 2017.
  17. ^ "Manchester City 2–1 Bristol City". BBC Sport. 9 January 2018.
  18. ^ BEST WISHES TO BAILEY WRIGHT, 2 July 2020, Bristol City official website
  19. ^ "Bailey Wright: Sunderland bring in Bristol City defender on loan". BBC Sport. 21 January 2020.
  20. ^ "Wright returns to Sunderland". Sunderland AFC. 2 August 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  21. ^ "Rochdale 2-2 Sunderland". BBC. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  22. ^ "Signing | Millers get loan deal Wright on Deadline Day". Rotherham United FC. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  23. ^ "Bailey Wright: From Wembley to the World Cup, and now a Sailor". Lion City Sailors. 9 July 2023.
  24. ^ Davidson, John (9 September 2014). "Wright on target in dream debut for Socceroos". FourFourTwo. Archived from the original on 9 September 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  25. ^ "Jamie Maclaren, Mitch Langerak among big names cut as Socceroos World Cup squad trimmed to 26". 14 May 2018.
  26. ^ "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  27. ^ "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  28. ^ "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  29. ^ "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  30. ^ "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  31. ^ "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  32. ^ a b "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  33. ^ "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  34. ^ "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  35. ^ a b "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  36. ^ "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  37. ^ "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  38. ^ a b "Games played by Bailey Wright in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  39. ^ a b "Wright, Bailey". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  40. ^ "Saudi Arabia 2–3 Australia". SkySports. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  41. ^ "Australia rally past Jordan in warmup for AFC World Cup playoff next week". ESPN. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  42. ^ Middleton, Nathan (24 May 2015). "Preston North End 4–0 Swindon Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  43. ^ Pilnick, Brent (14 March 2021). "Sunderland 1–0 Tranmere Rovers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  44. ^ Paddy, Chris (21 May 2022). "Sunderland 2–0 Wycombe". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 May 2022.

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