Harry Birtwistle

Harry Birtwistle

Personal information
Full name	Ryan James Harry Birtwistle
Date of birth	(2003-12-01) 1 December 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth	Singapore
Position(s)	Right wing-back
Team information
Current team	Wacker Burghausen
Number	3
Youth career
2017–2025	Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–2025	Wolverhampton Wanderers	0	(0)
2024	→ Oxford City (loan)	7	(0)
2025–	Wacker Burghausen	1	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:45, 31 January 2025 (UTC)

Ryan James Harry Birtwistle (born 1 December 2003) is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays as a right wing-back for Regionalliga Bayern club Wacker Burghausen.

Early life

Harry Birtwistle was born in Singapore on 1 December 2003 to an English father, John Birtwistle and a Singaporean Chinese mother, Rachel. He holds a Singapore passport.[1][2][3]

Club career

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Harry Birtwistle was first spotted and scouted by the Wolves academy staff when he was eight years old, as part of a Wolves international training camp in Singapore. Birtwistle then moved from Singapore to England in 2017 and he signed a scholarship with Wolverhampton Wanderers. He broke into the under-23 side at the age of 17 and eventually started training with the first team after impressing the coaching staff.[4]

On 28 October 2021, it was announced that Birtwistle signed his first professional contract with the club which will run until the summer of 2024.[5][6]

On 1 February 2024, Birtwistle joined Oxford City on loan until the end of the season.[7]

On 30 January 2025, Birtwistle announced his departure from Wolverhampton Wanderers.[8]

Wacker Burghausen

On 31 January 2025, Birtwistle joined Regionalliga Bayern club Wacker Burghausen.[9]

Personal life

Harry Birtwistle had applied to renounce his Singapore citizenship, but it was denied as Singapore's Ministry of Defence indicated he had yet to fulfil his National Service (NS) obligations. His family "stated that [he] would not be registering for NS".[10] His father, John, would later release a statement that the changes on work permit requirements for non-British citizens following Brexit had made it essential for Harry to keep his British citizenship to pursue a football career in the Premier League, and Harry had not wanted to intentionally skip NS.[11]

Career statistics

As of matches played 9 July 2024[12][13]

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		EFL Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Wolverhampton Wanderers U21	2021–22	—			—		—		—		3[a]	0	3	0
	2022–23	—			—		—		—		3[a]	0	3	0
	2023–24	—			—		—		—		3[a]	0	3	0
	Total		—		—		—		—		9	0	9	0
Oxford City (loan)	2023–24	National League	7	0	—		—		—		—		7	0
Career total			7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0	16	0

1. Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy

References

1. "Wolves' Harry Birtwistle is first Singapore-born player to sign for EPL club". Yahoo. 27 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
2. "Football: Wolves defender Birtwistle, 17, 'so honoured' to be first S'pore-born player in EPL". The Straits Times. 27 October 2021. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
3. "Unleash the Roar project: Local core, but foreigners to add more". tnp.straitstimes.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
4. "Harry Birtwistle: 'I've not seen my mum in almost two years. It's tough. But being a footballer is what I want to do'". The Athletic. 14 October 2021. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
5. "Football: Wolves defender Birtwistle, 17, 'so honoured' to be first S'pore-born player in EPL". The New Paper. 27 October 2021. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
6. "Young wing-back Harry Birtwistle has signed his first professional contract with Wolves following a successful start to his first season at under-23 level". www.wolves.co.uk. 28 October 2021. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
7. "Oxford City announce THREE new signings". www.oxfordcity.co.uk. 3 February 2023.
8. Haffenden, Charlie (30 January 2025). "Wolves player announces departure following eight-year stint at club". Birmingham World. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
9. "Von Wolverhampton an die Salzach!" [From Wolverhampton to the Salzach!]. www.wacker1930.de (in German). 31 January 2025. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
10. Sazali Abdul Aziz (29 October 2021). "Wolves defender Harry Birtwistle's application to renounce his S'pore citizenship rejected | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Archived from the original on 22 August 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
11. "Harry Birtwistle's father: My son never wanted to renounce Singapore citizenship, skip NS". sg.news.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
12. Harry Birtwistle at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
13. "Harry Birtwistle". www.wolves.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.