Alex Wilkinson

Alexander William Wilkinson (born 13 August 1984) is a retired Australian professional soccer player who is currently the Head of Football Operations at Sydney FC.[3]

For the Australian army officer and cricketer, see Alexander Wilkinson. For the English cricketer, see Alex Wilkinson (cricketer). For the American skier, see Alix Wilkinson.

Alex Wilkinson
Wilkinson with Central Coast Mariners in 2009
Personal information
Full name Alexander William Wilkinson[1]
Date of birth (1984-08-13) 13 August 1984
Place of birth Sydney, Australia
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Central defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2004 Northern Spirit 45 (0)
2004 Ryde City Gunners 19 (3)
2004–2005 Manly United 15 (0)
2005–2012 Central Coast Mariners 172 (2)
2011 → Jiangsu Sainty (loan) 10 (0)
2012–2015 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 86 (2)
2016 Melbourne City 10 (0)
2016–2023 Sydney FC 193 (2)
International career‡
2001 Australia U-17 9 (4)
2002–2003 Australia U-20 8 (0)
2014–2015 Australia 16 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Australia
Men's Association football
AFC Asian Cup
Winner2015 Australia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 June 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2015

Wilkinson was born and raised in Sydney and made his senior debut for Northern Spirit in 2002. After moving to Ryde City Gunners and Manly United in 2004, Wilkinson joined A-League club Central Coast Mariners, where he eventually became club captain and made over 170 appearances. After spending time in China on loan to Jiangsu Sainty, Wilkinson played for Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors for 4 seasons (2012–2015), before returning to Australia to play for Melbourne City FC. After a brief stint at the club, Wilkinson moved to Sydney FC where he enjoyed the most success, and captained the side for four years until his retirement at the conclusion of the 2022–23 A-League Men season.

Wilkinson made eleven appearances for the Australian national team, including three at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

Alexander's bright career began in Ryde East Primary School and Epping Boys' High School where he showed excellent talents on the field as a sportsman and off the field in his sportsmanship. His main junior football club was North Ryde and then with Gladesville Hornsby/Northern Spirit youth team where he played alongside Brett Holman. Two years after breaking into the first team of the Northern Spirit, the NSL would be shut down and went back to finding a job, where he would eventually work at a surf shop in his local Macquarie Centre.

On Sunday 12 November 2006, Noel Spencer was dropped from the starting eleven and in his absence Alex Wilkinson was named captain of the team. Spencer was then struck down with injury and Alex filled in as captain until round 18 when Spencer returned. He was named Captain for Season 3 (2007–2008) and only injury has interrupted that (with ex-Socceroo Tony Vidmar and midfielder John Hutchinson filling in). On 17 March 2011 it was announced that Wilkinson had signed a short-term loan deal with Chinese side Jiangsu Sainty.[4] On 18 July he had signed a two and a half-year contract with K League 1 team Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. The reported transfer fee paid to the Mariners upon completion of the deal is $450,000.[5] Following a lengthy and successful stint in Asia, Wilkinson signed with Melbourne City in February 2016, for the remainder of the 2015–16 A-League season.[6]

Sydney FC

After Melbourne City were eliminated from the finals series Wilkinson signed a two-year contract with Sydney FC, rejoining former Mariners manager Graham Arnold[7][8]

In 2017, Wilkinson made sporadic appearances as captain on the pitch with skipper Alex Brosque off and vice-captain Sebastian Ryall injured for the majority of the season.

In July 2019, following the retirement of captain Brosque and after spending 3 years as vice-captain, Wilkinson was appointed captain of Sydney FC.[9]

In August 2020, Wilkinson captained Sydney FC in their sixth A-League Grand Final, winning the championship courtesy of a Ryan Grant header in the 100th minute. Wilkinson featured in the 2021 A-League Grand Final, a 3-1 loss to Melbourne City, before featuring for two more seasons as club captain until his retirement in May 2023.[10]

International career

He represented Australia in 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship. In August 2006, Alex was selected for the first time to join the 22-man Socceroos squad, training for the Asian Cup against Kuwait.[11] He has also joined the 37-man training squad for the Socceroos against Qatar. He made his full national team debut against Ecuador in a friendly at The New Den in London on 5 March 2014.

He was a surprise inclusion for Australia's 2014 World Cup squad and started in Australia's 3–1 opening loss to Chile. After he cleared a certain goal off the line he was the first player in history to be involved in FIFA's new goal line review system which showed he successfully saved a goal.

On 30 March 2015 in a friendly match against FYR Macedonia, at the 72nd minute as captain Mile Jedinak was substituted off the ground, Wilkinson was handed the captain's arm band.

Career statistics
As of 1 September 2022
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Northern Spirit2002–03National Soccer League3000000300
2003–041500000150
Total4500000450
Ryde City Gunners2004NSW Super League1930000193
Manly United2004–05NSW Premier League1500000150
Central Coast Mariners2005–06A-League25050—300
2006–0721060—270
2007–0815051—201
2008–092303060320
2009–102710000271
2010–113410000341
2011–122700060330
Total17221911202033
Jiangsu Sainty (loan)2011Chinese Super League10000—100
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2012K League 11500000150
20132524020312
20142501080340
20152101080230
Total862601801102
Melbourne City2015–16A-League10000—100
Sydney FC2016–1729030—320
2017–182703060360
2018–192804040360
2019–202701061341
2020–212820000282
2021–22 26 0 4 0 4 0 34 0
2022-23 15 0 3 0 — 18 0
Total18021802012183
Career total537943150163011

Honours

Club

Central Coast Mariners

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Sydney FC

International

Australia

Individual

References
  1. "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players: Australia" (PDF). FIFA. 14 July 2014. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2020.
  2. "Alex Wilkinson". Sydney FC. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  3. "Alex Wilkinson appointed Sydney FC Head of Football Operations". Sydney FC. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  4. http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/a-league/news/1048909/Wilkinson-s-Chinese-adventure Archived 4 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine Wilkinson's Chinese adventure
  5. "Wilkinson Confirms Korea Move - Australia News - Australian FourFourTwo - the Ultimate Football Website". Archived from the original on 9 August 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  6. "City Signs Alex Wilkinson". Melbourne City FC. 5 February 2016. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  7. "Alex Wilkinson Departs To Pursue A-League Opportunity". Melbourne City. 26 April 2016. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  8. "Sydney FC Sign Socceroo Alex Wilkinson". Sydney FC. 26 April 2016.
  9. "Wilkinson to captain Sydney FC". The World Game. SBS. 18 July 2019.
  10. "Asian Cup winner Alex Wilkinson announces retirement | Socceroos". www.socceroos.com.au. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  11. Mariners youngster added to Socceroos training camp
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