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.

Early 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 $2 1/2$-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 as 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.

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.

Loan to Rotherham United

Wright joined fellow Championship club Rotherham United in a deadline day loan move on 31 January 2023. He make his debut for the club on 4 February in a goalless draw against Sheffield United.

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. He make his debut for the club on 11 July in a 1–3 lost against DPMM. On his return from red card suspension on 31 July, Wright scored a brace in a 5–2 win over Tanjong Pagar United. In his first season at the club, he helped them to win the 2023 Singapore Cup in a 3-1 win over Hougang United on 12 September.

Wright subsequently changed his squad number from no.3 to no.26 ahead of the 2024–25 season. He helped the club to win the 2024 Singapore Community Shield in a 2–0 win over Albirex Niigata (S) on 4 May 2024.

Youth
Wright was a member of the Australia U17 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.

Senior
Wright was selected as part of Ange Postecoglou 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, one of two new inclusions but didn't make any single appearance in the tournament.

Wright made his Australia national team debut starting in a friendly match against Saudi Arabia at Craven Cottage in London on 8 September 2014 where he scored a header in this debut giving Australia a two-goal lead which ended in a 3-–2 win.

Wright was called up for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia where he played in all three of the team group stage matches.

Wright was in the team preliminary squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia but didn't make it into Bert van Marwijk's final 23 man squad.

Wright 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 on 30 November 2022.

International

 * As of match played 15 November 2017. Australia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Wright goal.

Club
Preston North End Sunderland Lion City Sailors
 * Football League One play-offs: 2015
 * EFL Trophy: 2020–21
 * EFL League One play-offs: 2022
 * Singapore Cup: 2023
 * Singapore Community Shield: 2024