Jade Helen Bailey (born 11 November 1995) is an English-born Jamaican professional footballer who plays as a defender and a midfielder. She is currently a free agent, having last played for Liverpool FC, and also represents the Jamaica women's national team. She previously played for Arsenal, Chelsea and Reading (on loan from Chelsea). She is a former England youth international. She was involved in the final stages of the 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay.
![]() With Liverpool in 2019 | |||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||
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Full name | Jade Helen Bailey[1] | ||||||||||||
Date of birth | (1995-11-11) 11 November 1995 (age 26)[2] | ||||||||||||
Place of birth | London, England | ||||||||||||
Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||
Position(s) | Defender,[3] midfielder | ||||||||||||
Club information | |||||||||||||
Current team | Liverpool | ||||||||||||
Number | 8 | ||||||||||||
Youth career | |||||||||||||
Chapel End | |||||||||||||
Arsenal | |||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||
2013–2015 | Arsenal | 27 | (0) | ||||||||||
2015–2019 | Chelsea | 13 | (0) | ||||||||||
2019 | → Reading (loan) | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||
2019–2022 | Liverpool | 20 | (1) | ||||||||||
National team‡ | |||||||||||||
2010 | England U17 | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||
England U20 | |||||||||||||
2021– | Jamaica | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||
Honours
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:23, 12 February 2020 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:50, 13 August 2022 (UTC) |
Bailey is the daughter of soccer coach Trevor Bailey,[4] the founder of Interwood Junior Football Club. Bailey started playing football at age 6 for a Sunday league team,[5] becoming the top goalscorer for Chapel End.[6] She eventually became captain[4] and the only female player[4] of Waltham Forest Schools U11.[4] But the team did not allow mixed-gender teams from age 11,[5] so Bailey got a trial with Arsenal,[5] was signed to Arsenal's U12s girls team,[4] started training with Arsenal,[5] and was spotted by England scouts.[5]
Bailey says she admired footballers Ashley Cole and John Terry, then later Arsenal and England captain Faye White.[5]
She was given a scholarship and a two-year professional contract by Arsenal Ladies football team.[7] Bailey came off the bench during Arsenal's win in the 2013 FA Cup.[8][9] Bailey started the 2014 FA Cup final and was part of the Arsenal side which won 2–0.[10] In April 2015, Manchester City's England midfielder Jill Scott was shown the red card and banned for three matches for headbutting Bailey during a match.[11]
Bailey transferred to Chelsea in 2016[12] and made 16 appearances in her first season, as a deep-lying midfielder and sometimes in central defence. She suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April 2017, ruling her out of participation in the following season.[13] In January 2019, Chelsea gave Bailey a one-year contract extension and sent her on loan to Reading to prove her fitness.[14]
In July 2019 Bailey was transferred to Liverpool, who assigned her the number 8 shirt.[15] She was released at the end of the 2021-22 season.[16]
Bailey made her debut for England's under-17s on 3 October 2010 against Turkey[17] as a defender[3] although she had been an unplayed substitute in the matches against Italy[18] and Serbia[19] earlier that year. She was chosen by kit manufacturer Umbro in 2010[20] as one of the next generation of England's footballing stars.[21][20]
She was included in the England u20 for the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Canada.[1] In 2016 Bailey was selected by coach Marieanne Spacey for England's 'Next Gen' squad, which replaced the previous Under-23 set up, though still competing in U23-aged matches and competitions.[22]
On May 6, 2021 Bailey was included in the Jamaica women's national football team for the friendlies against Nigeria and the United States. On 25 October 2021, she debuted for Jamaica.[23]
The Olympic organizers appealed[24] for a talented young footballer to take part in the 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay. Bailey had been trained[24] by the Bailey Elite Football Academy in Wadham Lodge, Walthamstow during her teens[24] and Waltham Forest Council nominated her to the organizers.[24] Her part in the relay was watched by an estimated global audience of one billion[24] as she stood on the prow of the motorboat driven by David Beckham and held the Olympic torch that was ferried to Steve Redgrave during the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.[25][26][27][28] She was interviewed by the BBC's children's news program Newsround about the event[29] and pointed out that Beckham drove the boat for most of its journey but didn't get to park it.[29]
Liverpool F.C. Women – current squad | |
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Jamaica squad – 2022 CONCACAF W Championship third place | ||
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