| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joseph Charles Wildsmith[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1995-12-28)28 December 1995 (age 29)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Sheffield, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[3] | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2014 | Sheffield Wednesday | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2022 | Sheffield Wednesday | 66 | (0) |
| 2014 | →Alfreton Town (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2015 | →Barnsley (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2022–2024 | Derby County | 86 | (0) |
| 2024– | West Bromwich Albion | 4 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2015 | England U20 | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:29, 25 February 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 November 2015 (UTC) | |||
Joseph Charles Wildsmith (born 28 December 1995) is an English professionalfootballer who plays as agoalkeeper forEFL Championship clubWest Bromwich Albion.
Wildsmith started his career atSheffield Wednesday, he would have loan spells atAlfreton Town andBarnsley before making his debut for Wednesday in 2015, Wildsmith left the club in June 2022, to joinDerby County where he would spend two seasons, helping the club regain promotion to theEFL Championship.
Born inSheffield, Wildsmith began his football career at boyhood clubSheffield Wednesday.[4] Wildsmith signed a2+1⁄2-year professional contract withSheffield Wednesday in November 2013 after impressing with the club's youth teams.[5] During the 2014–15 season, Wildsmith was named as an unused substitute for four matches.[6]
Wildsmith made his Owls debut in Wednesday's 4–1League Cup win overMansfield Town at Hillsborough on 11 August 2015.[7] On 28 August 2015, he signed a new two-year contract with the club keeping him until the summer of 2017.[8] Two weeks later on 15 September 2015, Wildsmith kept his first clean sheet, in a 0–0 draw againstBolton Wanderers.[9] He then made further League cup starts against Premier League giantsNewcastle United andArsenal, claiming clean sheets and wins over both teams.[10] Wildsmith broke into the first-team under new managerCarlos Carvalhal, asKeiren Westwood was injured and Chris Kirkland had left for Preston North End.[11] As a result, he made his return to the starting line–up as a first choice goalkeeper, keeping a clean sheet, in a 3–0 win againstBirmingham City.[12] This was followed up by starting in the next three matches, including earning his fourth clean sheet of the season againstFulham on 2 January 2016.[13] However, Wildsmith suffered a back injury that kept him out for two months.[14] After recovering from injury, he returned to the substitute bench and didn't make an appearance until on 9 April 2016, starting the whole game, in a 4–1 loss against Bristol City.[15] At the end of the 2015–16 season, Wildsmith went on to make fourteen appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2016–17 season Wildsmith was featured in the two out of the five pre–season matches for the side.[16] He made his first appearance of the season, starting and played 120 minutes, in a 2–1 loss againstCambridge United in the first round of the League Cup.[17] However, Wildsmith found himself as the club's second choice goalkeeper and placed on the substitute bench throughout the season, even he faced his own injury concern.[18] Despite, Wildsmith appeared two times againstMiddlesbrough and Fulham.[19] At the end of the 2016–17 season, he made three appearances for the side in all competitions. Following this, the club opted to take up their option of a contract extension that would ensure Wildsmith remained under contract for the 2017–18 season.[20]
At the start of the 2017–18 season, Wildsmith appeared in three matches (playing once in the league and twice in the League Cup).[21] He then signed a five-year contract with Sheffield Wednesday, keeping him until 2022.[22] Wildsmith then made his return to the starting line–up against Birmingham City on 27 September 2017, as they lost 1–0.[23] Following this, he started in the next two matches, including earning a clean sheet againstLeeds United on 1 October 2017.[24] After spending two months returning to the substitute bench, Wildsmith didn't return to the starting line–up until on 15 December 2017 againstWolverhampton Wanderers, losing 1–0.[25] Since returning to the first team, he regained his first choice goalkeeper role for the rest of the season.[26] Wildsmith then kept four consecutive clean sheets for the club between 6 January 2018 and 30 January 2018.[27] Wildsmith continued to remain as the club's first choice goalkeeper until he was dropped in favour ofCameron Dawson for the remaining matches of the 2017–18 season.[28] At the end of the 2017–18 season, Wildsmith made twenty–nine appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2018–19 season, Wildsmith said he was ready to fight for his place for the first choice goalkeeper role.[29] However, ManagerJos Luhukay stated while he preferredCameron Dawson as the first choice keeper in the league, though he would put Wildsmith as a keeper in cup competitions.[30] Luhukay eventually did put Wildsmith in goal for the League matches, starting againstSunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers.[31] However, he spent the rest of the 2018–19 season, placed on the substitute bench, with Dawson and Westwood preferred to be used in goal under both Luhukay andSteve Bruce and made two appearances in all competitions.[32]
Ahead of the 2019–20 season, Wildsmith was linked with a move away from Sheffield Wednesday, but he remained at the club.[33] However, Wildsmith suffered a knock and was substituted during a 2–1 loss againstVfB Lübeck in a friendly match on 19 July 2019.[34] As a result, he was sidelined for almost the rest of 2019.[35] By December, Wildsmith returned from injury and then assigned to the substitute bench for the next four months for the side.[36] It wasn't until on 4 March 2020 when he made his first appearance of the season, in a 1–0 loss againstManchester City in the fifth round of theFA Cup.[37] Once the season resumed behind closed doors because of theCOVID-19 pandemic, Wildsmith returned to the first team on 20 June 2020 againstNottingham Forest, in a 1–1 draw.[38] For the remaining matches of the 2019–20 season, he became the club's first choice goalkeeper.[39] Wildsmith then kept two consecutive clean sheets between 11 July 2020 and 14 July 2020.[40] At the end of the 2019–20 season, he went on to make ten appearances in all competitions.
Following the end of the 2021-22 season, the club confirmed they had offered Wildsmith a new contract.[41] On 22 June 2022, it was confirmed that he had rejected the offer and would leave the club.[42]
On 29 March 2014, Wildsmith was loaned out toAlfreton Town for the rest of the 2013–14 season.[43] It wasn't until on 21 April 2014 when he made his debut for the club, starting the whole game, as they lost 3–2 againstHereford United.[44] His second appearance for Alfreton Town came on 26 April 2014 againstMacclesfield Town, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute for Jon Worsnop and conceded the only goal of the game, as they lost 1–0.[45] Wildsmith made two appearances for the club.
In March 2015, Wildsmith signed forBarnsley on an emergency one-month loan deal,[46] making his professional debut on 28 March againstBristol City.[47] He went on to make two appearances for the club.
On 2 July 2022, Wildsmith joinedDerby County on a free transfer.[48] Wildsmith made 54 appearances in his first season for Derby, being an ever present in Derby'sLeague One,EFL Cup andFA Cup matches,[49] as they narrowly missed out on a play-off place by 1 point. Wildsmith had a strong season for Derby with penalty saves againstAccrington Stanley[50] andIpswich Town[51] in back-to back weeks and a clean sheet atAnfield againstLiverpool in the EFL Cup[52] being highlights.
Ahead of the2023–24 season, Derby signedJosh Vickers to compete with Wildsmith for the role of first-choice goalkeeper.[53] Despite this, Wildsmith retained his role his first-choice league goalkeeper. A run of 4,638 consecutive minutes of league appearances for Derby was ended after Wildsmith wassent-off with referee Charles Breakspear red-carding Wildsmith for handling outside thepenalty area in a match againstBolton Wanderers on 2 September 2023.[54] Wildsmith claimed to have chested the ball and with video evidence supporting that claim, Derby appealed the red card decision in hope to get the one-match ban overturned on 4 September 2023,[55] a day later the appeal was upheld and Wildsmith's red card and ban was withdrawn bythe FA.[56][57] After starting all of his first 70 league games since joining Derby, Wildmsith was dropped from the team, withJosh Vickers taking the start atFleetwood Town on 6 January 2024, after picking up a knock and a drop in form in recent games. Derby head coachPaul Warne stated that Wildsmith was "respectful" of the decision despite his disappointment of being dropped.[58] After six matches on the sidelines, Wildsmith returned to the starting 11 on 10 February 2024, after Vickers was ruled out with an injury.[59] Wildmsith in March 2024 to theDerby Telegraph stated that joining Derby was the best decision he has made in his career, as he had two seasons of being a first choice keeper for the first time in his career, making more appearances for Derby then he did for Sheffield Wednesday in seven seasons.[60] Wildsmith had twentyclean sheets in his forty League One appearances, which was the most in the division that season which won him the Golden Glove award, he also made three further appearances in cup competitions.[61] These performances helped Derby finish runners-up in the division and earn promotion to the Championship automatically.[62]
On 18 May 2024, it was announced that Wildsmith would leave Derby at the end of his contract on 30 June 2024, after 97 appearances over two seasons.[63]
On 10 July 2024, Wildsmith joinedWest Bromwich Albion on a two-year deal.[64] On 13 August 2024, he made his debut for the club in a 2-1 away defeat againstFleetwood Town in the EFL cup first round.[65] Wildsmith made his league debut for West Bromwich Albion on 8 February 2025 in a 2-1 win at home against his boyhood clubSheffield Wednesday, following the departure of previous first-choice goalkeeperAlex Palmer during thewinter 2024–25 transfer window.[66]
Throughout 2014 and 2015, Wildsmith was called up to theEngland U20 squad.[67] He made his England U20 debut on 7 October 2015, starting the whole game, in a 3–1 win againstNetherlands U20.[68]
Wildsmith was called up into theEngland under-21 national squad on three occasions, but never made an appearance for the U21 side.[69]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sheffield Wednesday | 2013–14[70] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2014–15[71] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16[72] | Championship | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2016–17[73] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2017–18[74] | Championship | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19[75] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20[76] | Championship | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21[77] | Championship | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22[78] | League One | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 66 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 88 | 0 | ||
| Alfreton Town (loan) | 2013–14[70] | Conference Premier | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Barnsley (loan) | 2014–15[71] | League One | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Derby County | 2022–23[79] | League One | 46 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 0 |
| 2023–24[80] | League One | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 43 | 0 | |
| Total | 86 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 97 | 0 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | 2024–25[81] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |
| Career total | 156 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 191 | 0 | ||
Derby County