Bailey Wright

Bailey Wright
Personal information
Full name Bailey Colin Wright[1]
Date of birth (1992-07-28) 28 July 1992
Place of birth Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 12 in)[2]
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
Preston North End
Number 6
Youth career
1998–2004 Langwarrin
2005 Mornington
2006 Dandenong Thunder
2007–2008 VIS
2009 Preston North End
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010– Preston North End 163 (8)
National team
2008–2009 Australia U-17 3 (0)
2014– Australia 10 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 April 2016.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 March 2016

Bailey Colin Wright (born 28 July 1992) is an Australian professional footballer currently playing for English Football League Championship side Preston North End.

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

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.[3] He honed his skills further with the Victorian Institute of Sport, before moving overseas in July 2009, signing a two-year scholarship with Preston North End after a protracted clearance saga.[4]

Preston North End

In his first season with Preston North End, Wright played predominantly as a centre-half for the Reserves and Under 18s 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.[5] 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.[6] 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 season 2012/13.[7] On 1 May 2013 he was handed a new two-year contract, with the option of staying at Preston North End for another year.[8]

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

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's 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.[9]

Career statistics

Club statistics

As of 20 April 2016
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Preston North End 2010–11 Championship 2000200040
2011–12 League One 131001000141
2012–13 382001020412
2013–14 454402000514
2014–15 301201000331
2015–16 Championship 350003000380
Career Total 163 8 6 0 10 0 2 0 181 8

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 8 September 2014 Craven Cottage, London, England  Saudi Arabia 3–1 3–2 Friendly

Honours

Club

Preston North End

References

  1. "Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. 18 May 2013. p. 42. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  2. "Bailey Wright". socceroos.com.au. Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  3. "The Wright Stuff". PNEFC. 16 April 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  4. "FFA ends Wright, Parish standoff". Goal!Weekly. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  5. "Wright: An Amazing First Year". PNEFC. 21 April 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  6. http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/198177,aussies-abroad-weekend-wrap.aspx
  7. "John Welsh Is 2013 Player Of The Year". Preston North End FC. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  8. "Preston North End: Bailey Wright signs new contract". Preston North End FC. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  9. Davidson, John (9 September 2014). "Wright on target in dream debut for Socceroos". FourFourTwo.
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