Bailey Wright

Bailey Wright
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. 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.
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. 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. 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. On 1 May 2013, he was handed a new two-year contract, with the option of staying at Preston North End for another year.
Wright won promotion via the play-Offs with Preston in 2015, defeating Swindon Town 4–0 at Wembley on 24 May 2015.
Bristol City
On 6 January 2017, it was announced that Wright joined Bristol City for an undisclosed fee, signing a -year contract. 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. At the start of the 2017–18 season, Wright was named Bristol City captain.
Wright featured as Bristol City reached the semi-finals of the 2017–18 EFL Cup with wins over Premier League opponents Watford, Stoke City, Crystal Palace and Manchester United. Wright played as City lost in the semi-final tie against Premier League leaders Manchester City. Wright was released by Bristol City at the end of his contract in July 2020.
Sunderland
Wright signed a six-month loan deal with League One club Sunderland on 21 January 2020. On 2 August 2020, Wright signed for Sunderland on a permanent basis, on a two-year deal. He scored his first goal for Sunderland in a 2–2 draw with Rochdale on 27 October 2020.
Loan to Rotherham United
Wright joined fellow Championship club Rotherham United in a deadline day loan move on 31 January 2023.
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.
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.
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.
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
International
As of match played 15 November 2017. Australia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Wright goal.
Honours
Preston North End
Football League One play-offs: 2015
Sunderland
EFL Trophy: 2020–21
EFL League One play-offs: 2022
References
External links
1992 births
Living people
Soccer players from Melbourne
Australian men's soccer players
Men's association football defenders
Preston North End F.C. players
Bristol City F.C. players
Sunderland A.F.C. players
Rotherham United F.C. players
Lion City Sailors FC players
English Football League players
Singapore Premier League players
Australia men's youth international soccer players
Australia men's international soccer players
2014 FIFA World Cup players
2017 FIFA Confederations Cup players
2022 FIFA World Cup players
Victorian Institute of Sport alumni
Australian expatriate men's soccer players
Australian expatriate sportspeople in England
Australian expatriate sportspeople in Singapore
Expatriate men's footballers in England
Expatriate men's footballers in Singapore