Background
Born in Ipswich, Suffolk, he grew up in South Africa, but went on to be capped twice for England. He grew up in South Africa and started his career with Wits University in Johannesburg.
Born in Ipswich, Suffolk, he grew up in South Africa, but went on to be capped twice for England. He grew up in South Africa and started his career with Wits University in Johannesburg.
In the late 1970s, Bailey paid his own fare to Manchester for a trial with Manchester United. Despite this, he was considered to be one of the best goalkeepers in England in the earlyto mid-1980s. He represented the England national team twice at senior level, but was unable to establish himself in the first XI due to the form of the more-experienced Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence.
He was first capped against the Republic of Ireland on 26 March 1985, with his other international appearance coming on 9 June that year against Mexico.
However, he developed a serious knee injury during training at the 1986 Fédération internationale de football association World Cup and missed most of the 1986-1987 season, after which he retired and returned to South Africa where he subsequently resumed his career with Kaizer Chiefs, before retiring in 1990. He was a well-known radio presenter on Talk Radio 702.
Bailey is now a football presenter for Supersport"s football coverage in South Africa. He was an ambassador in South Africa"s successful bid to host the 2010 Fédération internationale de football association World Cup and does motivational speaking centred on increasing the benefits of that event.
Peter Schmeichel said on British Broadcasting Corporation Match of the Day 3 that Gary Bailey was his favourite goalkeeper of all time and he idolised him as a youngster growing up in Denmark.