.jpg) Wright in July 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joshua William Wright[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1989-11-06)6 November 1989 (age 35)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Bethnal Green, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Ebbsfleet United (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2007 | Charlton Athletic | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2009 | Charlton Athletic | 2 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | →Barnet (loan) | 32 | (1) |
| 2008 | →Brentford (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2009 | →Gillingham (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2009–2011 | Scunthorpe United | 71 | (0) |
| 2011–2015 | Millwall | 46 | (1) |
| 2013 | →Leyton Orient (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2014 | →Crawley Town (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | →Leyton Orient (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2015 | Leyton Orient | 20 | (2) |
| 2015–2017 | Gillingham | 85 | (14) |
| 2017–2018 | Southend United | 23 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | Bradford City | 18 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Leyton Orient | 44 | (9) |
| 2021 | Crawley Town | 20 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Billericay Town | 25 | (1) |
| 2022–2024 | Ebbsfleet United | 89 | (4) |
| Total | 503 | (33) | |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2005 | England U16 | 4 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | England U17 | 9 | (0) |
| 2007 | England U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | England U19 | 4 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2024 | Ebbsfleet United (caretaker) | ||
| 2024– | Ebbsfleet United | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:10, 5 January 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:10, 5 April 2024 (UTC) | |||
Joshua William Wright (born 6 November 1989) is an Englishmanager and former professional footballer who played as amidfielder. He is currently manager ofNational League clubEbbsfleet United.
Wright played forGillingham between 2015 and 2017,Millwall from 2011 to 2015 andScunthorpe United between 2009 and 2011. He began his career atCharlton Athletic at the age of 17 in 2007, but spent the majority of his two years there on loan atBarnet,Brentford andGillingham.
Born inBethnal Green, London,[2] Wright started his football career atCharlton Athletic, with whom he signed a two-year professional contract in April 2007 at the age of 17 alongside close friendHarry Arter.[3] Before joining Charlton's academy full-time at the age of 16, he attended Chigwell School in Chigwell, and Roding Valley High School inLoughton, Essex. Fellow professionalsLee Sawyer andBilly Lumley also attended Roding Valley High School, whileJordan Spence was in the same year group as Wright at Chigwell.[4] He plays inmidfield as aplaymaker.[5]
In August of that year, Wright moved toBarnet on loan for what eventually amounted to three months.[6] After a successful spell, which saw him score his first ever goal againstStockport County[7] and be named Barnet's player of the month for November,[8] he returned to Charlton. A month later, he was re-signed on loan by Barnet for the remainder of the2007–08 season.[9]
On 19 September 2008, Wright was signed by League Two sideBrentford on a month's loan.[10] The loan was extended but soon afterAlan Pardew decided to call Wright back due to an injury crisis at the club, where he made an impressive display for Brentford under the management ofAndy Scott.[11]
Following his return from a loan spell at Brentford, he made his debut for Charlton in a 1–1 draw againstBurnley on 25 October 2008, where he was started for the match.[12] He then joinedGillingham on loan in March 2009 until the end of theseason.[13]
He made his debut for Gillingham on 4 April 2009 in the 2–0 home defeat toBarnet. His four appearances at Gillingham impressedMark Stimson that he extended Wright's loan spell with Gillingham, which allowed him to play in the play-offs.[14] Wright was responsible for thecorner kick that allowed strikerSimeon Jackson to score in the2009 Football League Two play-off final atWembley Stadium, sending Gillingham toFootball League One for the2009–10 campaign.[15] Despite making his best efforts for Gillingham, Charlton weren't convinced of Wright and instead released him upon his contract expiring.[16]
He signed forScunthorpe United in July 2009 on a two-year contract.[17] Upon joining Scunthorpe United, Wright revealed he turned down a move to big clubs in order to join Scunthorpe United[18] and was motivated to join the Iron for first team football.[19]
Wright made his debut for the club, where he came on as a substitute forGary Hooper in the 49th minute, in a 4–0 loss againstCardiff City in the opening game of the season.[20] Since his debut, Wright quickly made an impact for the club and established himself in the starting eleven "as the holding player in United's four-man midfield."[21] In his first season, Wright made thirty-five appearances for the club.
In his second season at Scunthorpe United, Wright started his season when he scored his first goal for the club in aFootball League Cup game againstManchester United on 22 September 2010.[22] After the match, Wright said he is more than pleased to score his first goal which he cited as a "long time coming".[23] Wright started well for the club until his playing time minutes significantly decreased later in the season. In the January transfer window, Wright requested a transfer, during which he was offered a new contract and prepared for his exit from Scunthorpe United.[24][25] This came afterReading were keen to sign him and he was keen to move down to the south.[26][27] However, his father stated that Wright would be unlikely to move to the club in the January transfer window, but would leave in the summer.[28] After the failed transfer move in the January transfer window, Wright expected to be back in the first team and earn playing time, as well as withdrawing his transfer request.[29][30] Unfortunately, his loss of form and a foot injury that kept him out for the rest of 2010–11 season cost him his first team place.[31][32] Despite the loss of form costing him his first team place, Wright, nevertheless, made thirty-six appearances for the club.
At the end of the 2010–11 season, Wright was one of seven players released by Scunthorpe in May 2011.[33] At the time, Wright was once linked again to a number of Championship clubs, having held discussions.[34]
After leaving Scunthorpe, Wright suffered a foot injury ahead of the2011–12 season, which prevented him from joining a new club.[35] In November 2011, he joinedChampionship sideMillwall on a free transfer following a successful trial period.[35] The club signed Wright on a "short-term deal running until the January 2012 transfer window".[36]
On 3 January 2012, Wright made his debut for Millwall againstBristol City and made his first start before coming off forJimmy Abdou in the 67th minute of a 1–0 loss. Millwall subsequently extended his contract until the end of the season.[37] On 25 February 2012, Wright scored his first goal with a 30-yard volley in a 3–1 win overBurnley.[38] His 30-yard volley against Burnley earned him awards.[39][40]
His performance at Millwall led the club to offer him a new contract on a long-term deal.[41][42] At the end of the season, Wright went on to sign a new three-year deal, keeping him until 2015.[43]
During the 2012–13 season, Wright switched his shirt number from forty-four to number four.[44] However, his second season did not go so well for him, as he was overlooked and mostly featured on the substitute bench. On 19 November 2013, Wright signed on loan forLeyton Orient.[45] After making two appearances, Wright was recalled by Millwall due to an injury crisis at the club.[46]
Wright joinedCrawley Town on a 93-day loan deal on 9 September 2014.[47] He made his debut for Crawley in their 1–0 home victory overFleetwood Town on 13 September.[48] He made 4 appearances in total for Crawley Town.[49]
During a second loan spell with Leyton Orient, Wright's contract with Millwall was cancelled on 5 January 2015 to enable him to negotiate a permanent move to another club.[50] He re-signed for Leyton Orient the following day.[51]
Wright rejoined Gillingham in August 2015 on a short-term contract.[52] The following month he signed a new deal to extend his time with the club until the end of the season.[53] On 29 June 2016 he signed a new two-year deal with the club.[54]
At the beginning of the2016–17 season, Wright was named captain by then-managerJustin Edinburgh.[55] However, after Edinburgh was sacked andAdrian Pennock became manager,[56] defenderMax Ehmer was named captain.[57]
On 11 March 2017 in aLeague One fixture Wright scored a 9-minute hat trick of penalties against his former sideScunthorpe United. In doing so he became the first player to score a hat trick of penalties in an English (top four tiers) league game sinceAlan Slough forPeterborough United in a 4–3 loss atChester on 29 April 1978.[58]
On 22 April 2017 he was named the club's player of the season, players' player of the season and the away supporters' player of the season.[59]
In August 2017, Wright's contract with Gillingham was terminated and he subsequently signed forSouthend United.[60] He scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0EFL Trophy win againstColchester United on 7 November 2017.[61]
At the end of the 2017–18 season he was released by the club.[62]
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In May 2018 it was announced that Wright would sign forBradford City on 1 July 2018.[63] He was appointed club captain on 1 August 2018.[64] He was later stripped of the captaincy, and dropped from the first-team, not making a start for five months until 13 March 2019, after which his attitude was praised by new managerGary Bowyer.[65]
In June 2019 Wright re-joinedLeyton Orient. He was the final player to be signed by managerJustin Edinburgh, who died on 8 June.[66] On 7 January 2021 the club announced that he had left by mutual consent.[67]
In January 2021, he returned to Crawley Town on a two-and-a-half-year deal to play alongside brother Mark.[68][69][70] On 3 September 2021, it was announced that he had left the club after his contract was terminated by mutual consent.[71]
On 26 November 2021, Wright signed forNational League South sideBillericay Town as player/coach.[72]
On 23 June 2022, Wright signed forEbbsfleet United, also of the National League South.[73]
Wright made his debut for his country atU16 level against Japan in March 2005.[74] Since then, he has represented England at theU17,U18 and, most recently,U19 levels. He wascaptain of the U17 side on several occasions,[75][76] having previously captained the U16 team.[77]
On 11 December 2024, following the sacking ofHarry Watling, Wright was appointed manager of Ebbsfleet United.[78]
Son ofCarol and Mark Wright, Sr., Wright is the brother ofThe Only Way Is Essex starsMark andJess Wright,[79] and has a younger sister. His grandmother wasNanny Pat.[80] In 2017 he became engaged to girlfriend Hollie Kane. They married in 2018 and live in Essex.[79][81] They have two sons, born in 2022 and 2023.[82]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Charlton Athletic | 2007–08[83] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008–09[84] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Charlton Athletic total | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Barnet (loan) | 2007–08[83] | League Two | 32 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| Brentford (loan) | 2008–09[84] | League Two | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Gillingham (loan) | 2008–09[84] | League Two | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Scunthorpe United | 2009–10[85] | Championship | 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| 2010–11[86] | Championship | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 1 | |
| Scunthorpe United total | 71 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 1 | ||
| Millwall | 2011–12[87] | Championship | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| 2012–13[88] | Championship | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | |
| 2013–14[89] | Championship | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2014–15[49] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Millwall total | 46 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 1 | ||
| Leyton Orient (loan) | 2013–14[89] | League One | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Crawley Town (loan) | 2014–15[49] | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Leyton Orient (loan) | 2014–15[49] | League One | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Leyton Orient | 2014–15[49] | League One | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
| Gillingham | 2015–16[90] | League One | 41 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 44 | 1 |
| 2016–17[91] | League One | 41 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1[b] | 1 | 47 | 14 | |
| 2017–18[92] | League One | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Gillingham total | 85 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 95 | 15 | ||
| Southend United | 2017–18[92] | League One | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 1 | 26 | 2 |
| Bradford City | 2018–19[93] | League One | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Leyton Orient | 2019–20[94] | League Two | 35 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 38 | 8 |
| 2020–21[95] | League Two | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 15 | 1 | |
| Leyton Orient total | 44 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 53 | 9 | ||
| Crawley Town | 2020–21[95] | League Two | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Billericay Town | 2021–22[96] | National League South | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[c][d] | 0 | 28 | 1 |
| Ebbsfleet United | 2022–23[97] | National League South | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 |
| 2023–24[98] | National League | 45 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 46 | 1 | ||
| 2024–25[99] | National League | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[e] | 0 | 22 | 1 | ||
| Ebbsfleet United total | 89 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 93 | 4 | ||
| Career total | 503 | 33 | 21 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 562 | 36 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Ebbsfleet United (caretaker)[100] | 9 September 2024 | 12 September 2024 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 000.0 |
| Ebbsfleet United[101] | 11 December 2024 | Present | 20 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 005.0 |
| Total | 21 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 004.8 | ||
Gillingham
Billericay Town
Ebbsfleet United
Individual
