Colin Bailie

{{short description|Association footballer from Northern Ireland}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Colin Bailie

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Colin James Bailie{{cite web |url=http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/Person.asp?PersonID=BAILIECO |title=Player Profile Colin Bailie |publisher=Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk |accessdate=9 November 2009}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|3|31|df=y}}

| birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland

| death_date =

| height = 5 ft 11 in{{cite book |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 |editor-first=Peter |editor-last=Dunk |publisher=Queen Anne Press |location=London |date=1987 |page=306 |isbn=978-0-356-14354-5}}

| position = Full back, midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Swindon Town

| years1 = 1982–1985 | clubs1 = Swindon Town | caps1 = 107 | goals1 = 4

| years2 = 1985–1988 | clubs2 = Reading | caps2 = 84 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 1988–1992 | clubs3 = Cambridge United | caps3 = 119 | goals3 = 3

| years4 = – | clubs4 = Eynesbury Rovers | caps4 = | goals4 =

}}

Colin James Bailie (born 31 March 1964) is a former professional footballer, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, who played in the Football League for Swindon Town, Reading and Cambridge United.{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player1/colinbailie.html |title=Colin Bailie |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=9 November 2009}}

Bailie began his career at Swindon Town, where he turned professional in 1982. He made his debut in the Third Division 5–0 defeat at Oxford United on 7 April 1982, playing as a full back.{{cite web |url=http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/PlayingRecord.asp?PersonID=BAILIECO&Season=1981-1982 |title=All of Bailie's matches in the 1981-1982 season |publisher=Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk |accessdate=9 November 2009}} He made 121 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 4 goals, before a move to Reading in 1985 for a fee of £22,500. While at Elm Park, he played a further 84 league games and played at Wembley as Reading reached the final of the Full Members Cup in 1988. Cambridge United paid £25,000 for his services in 1988,{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article530066.ece |title=Caught in Time: Reading break Football League record, October 1985 |first=Rob |last=Maul |newspaper=The Sunday Times |date=5 June 2005 |accessdate=9 November 2009}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} and when John Beck took over as manager in 1990, he converted Bailie to a midfielder, a position he played in as the club went on a run of successive promotions and FA Cup quarter-final appearances. In 1992, Bailie claimed he had lost his appetite for football and was quitting the game; he had a brief spell in non-league football with Eynesbury Rovers before moving to Cumbria to become a police officer.{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/article3383018.ece |title=Caught in Time: Cambridge United's rise under John Beck, 1990 |first=Barry |last=Flatman |newspaper=The Sunday Times |date=17 February 2008 |accessdate=9 November 2009}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite web |url=http://www.cambridge-united.co.uk/page/AndrewsMatchView/0,,10423~1632260,00.html |title=Hello... Goodbye |first=Andrew |last=Bennett |date=18 April 2009 |publisher=Cambridge United F.C |accessdate=9 November 2009}}