The New York Red Bulls announced Monday the signing of former Premier League player and English international Shaun Wright-Phillips. SWP, who joins his brother Bradley, brings a top-flight pedigree to New York, having spent his entire career performing for some of the biggest clubs in English football.
Wright-Phillips is the adopted son of former English player Ian Wright, a forward who found most of his success netting goals at Arsenal FC. He reunites with younger brother Bradley for the first time since 2004 at Manchester City, marking the 11th time in MLS history that brothers have played together on the same team.
A product of the Nottingham Forest youth program, Shaun Wright-Phillips signed his first professional contract with Manchester City in the summer of 1999 after being released by Nottingham Forest at the age of 17. He has made over 300 professional appearances, won a Premier League trophy and two FA Cups, and scored goals in the UEFA Champions League. He also represented England on the game’s biggest stage at the 2010 World Cup.
Wright-Phillips broke into Man City’s senior team in 1999, beginning his first of two stints with the club. SWP, as he has done on several occasions in his career, scored in his debut in England’s First Division before City climbed into the Premier League in 2000. Following promotion, Wright-Phillips saw more regular playing time, and won Manchester City’s Young Player of the Year award four times running from 2000 to 2003.
The London native had a career year in 2004, the same season younger brother Bradley joined City’s senior squad. Shaun was on the field that December when Bradley scored his first Premier League goal, an 80th minute marker against Middlesbrough. Ten goals in league play that season earned SWP a move to reigning Premier League champions Chelsea FC, and also his first call up to England’s senior national team – where he again scored in his debut.
Shaun was a regular during England’s qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but missed out on the 23-man roster for the finals in Germany.
Wright-Phillips’ first goal for CFC came the following winter, when he scored in a 2-0 win over Bulgarian side Levski Sofia in a Champions League match. SWP’s form improved over the remainder of the 2006-07 season, resulting in 27 appearances and two goals in each of the next two seasons. During his four-year spell with the Blues, Shaun would collect four trophies – a Premier League title in 2005-06, an FA Cup, a League Cup and the FA Community shield.
Wright-Phillips returned to Manchester City ahead of the 2008-09 season. In his first appearance back with City, the forward scored twice in a 3-0 win over Sunderland.
SWP would score nine goals over the next two seasons playing in 57 league matches. He continued to be a presence for England as well, with his international career culminating in a nod for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where the winger would appear in two of England’s group games, against the United States and Algeria. He also appeared against Germany in the Round of 16.
Reduced playing time from 2010 to 2012 saw Wright-Phillips make a switch to Queens Park Rangers. Shaun spent the last four years at QPR, including helping the club climb back into the Premier League in the 2013-14 season after being relegated the year prior.
The draw to the Red Bulls came through brother Bradley, though it was not a recruitment process in the traditional sense. With his QPR contract expiring in June, Shaun traveled to the States for Bradley’s wedding, and began training with New York for fitness. A month later, with Shaun showing well in training and meshing well with the Red Bulls group, the sides agreed to terms for Shaun to make the move to MLS and the Red Bulls.
Now the elder statesman of the team at 33, Wright-Phillips brings Premier League talent and big-game experience to a young New York roster. A true winger who can hurt opponents individually or by setting up his teammates, Wright-Phillips looks to bolster the Red Bulls lineup heading into the second half of the season. The Red Bulls are currently third in the Eastern Conference on 29 points, though they have several games in hand on the teams above them, Columbus and conference-leaders D.C. United. Shaun will be available for Saturday’s match against the Philadelphia Union at PPL Park. MSG will broadcast the game, which is scheduled to kickoff at 7 p.m.
