Bailey Wright

Bailey Wright

Personal information
Full name	Bailey Colin Wright
Date of birth	(1992-07-28) 28 July 1992
Place of birth	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Height
Position(s)	Centre back
Team 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)
International career‡
2008–2009	Australia U-17	3	(0)
2014–	Australia	11	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 April 2016 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 May 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. 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.

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. 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 season 2012/13. 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.

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.

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	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	4	0
	2011–12	League One	13	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	14	1
	2012–13		38	2	0	0	1	0	2	0	41	2
	2013–14		45	4	4	0	2	0	0	0	51	4
	2014–15		30	1	2	0	1	0	0	0	33	1
	2015–16	Championship	35	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	38	0
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

• Football League One play-offs: 2015

References

Template:Australia squad 2014 FIFA World Cup