Scott Wara

Fijian footballer (born 1999)

Scott WaraPersonal information

Full name|  Semi Scott Wara[1]
Date of birth|  (1999-09-22) 22 September 1999 (age 24)[2]
Place of birth|  Lautoka, Fiji
Height|  6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[3]
Position(s)|  Defender
Team information

Current team

|  Stalybridge Celtic
Youth career
|  Stoke City
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
2017–2020|  Stoke City|  0|  (0)
2017–2018|  → Leek Town (loan)|  2|  (0)
2021–2023|  Leek Town|  59|  (3)
2023|  Finn Harps|  7|  (0)
2023–|  Stalybridge Celtic|  21|  (1)
International career‡
2019|  Fiji U23|  |
2018–|  Fiji|  5|  (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 April 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 June 2024

Semi Scott Wara (born 22 September 1999) is a Fijian footballer who plays as a defender for Northern Premier League Division One West club Stalybridge Celtic. He has represented the Fiji national team.

## Early and personal life[edit]

Wara was born in Lautoka, Fiji and moved to Staffordshire, England at a young age.[4] His father served with the British Army.[5] His brother Billy is a rugby player; Scott also played rugby at school before switching to football.[5]

## Club career[edit]

Wara began his career with Stoke City, playing for the U21 team in the EFL Trophy.[5] He moved on a one-month loan to Leek Town in December 2017,[6] making two league appearances.[7][8] Wara was released by Stoke City in July 2020.[9]

Wara went on trial with Premier League club Newcastle United in November 2020, having previously been on trial at National League club Wrexham.[3][10] He subsequently returned to Leek Town on a permanent basis in 2021, first appearing as an unused substitute against Trafford on 17 August,[11] before making his debut in the FA Cup win against Gresley Rovers four days later.[12]

On 22 June 2023, Wara was confirmed as a new signing by League of Ireland club Finn Harps on an 18 month contract.[13]

On 8 September 2023, Stalybridge Celtic announced that they had signed Wara from Finn Harps.[14]

## International career[edit]

Wara is eligible to represent either Fiji or England at international level.[4] He received his first call-up to the Fiji senior national team in March 2018.[15] He made his debut on 5 September 2018, in a 1–1 draw against the Solomon Islands, appearing as a half-time substitute for Narendra Rao.[16] In September 2019 he joined the Fiji under-23 team.[17]

## Personal life[edit]

He appeared on the 2023 BBC documentary Boot Dreams: Now or Never, about young footballers trying to gain a professional contract.[18]

## Career statistics[edit]

### Club[edit]

As of match played 7 October 2023
Club  | Season  | League  | National Cup  | League Cup  | Other  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|

Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals
Stoke City U23 | 2017–18[2] | — | — | — | — | 3[a] | 0 | 3 | 0
2018–19[2] | — | — | — | — | 3[a] | 0 | 3 | 0
Total  | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0
Stoke City | 2018–19 | EFL Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0
Leek Town (loan)  | 2017–18 | NPL Division One South | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0
Leek Town | 2021–22[19] | NPL Division One West | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 29 | 1
2022–23[20] | NPL Division One West  | 35 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | 42 | 2
Total  | 59 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 71 | 3
Finn Harps | 2023[21] | League of Ireland First Division | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0
Stalybridge Celtic | 2022–23[22] | NPL Division One West  | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 5 | 0
Stalybridge Celtic | 2023–24[23] | NPL Division One West  | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[e] | 0 | 0 | 0
Career total  | 94 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 92 | 3

1. ^ a b Appearances in EFL Trophy
2. ^ Two appearances in Staffordshire Senior Cup, one appearance in NPL West Play-offs
3. ^ Two appearances in FA Trophy, three appearances in Staffordshire Senior Cup, one appearance in NPL West Play-offs
4. ^ Appearances in FA Trophy
5. ^ Appearances in FA Trophy

### International[edit]

As of match played 19 June 2024[1]
National team | Year | Apps | Goals

|
|
|

Fiji | 2018 | 1 | 0
Fiji | 2024 | 4 | 0
Total | 5 | 0

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Scott Wara". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
2. ^ a b c Scott Wara at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
3. ^ a b Ryder, Lee (6 November 2020). "Who is Newcastle United trialist Scott Wara?". ChronicleLive.
4. ^ a b "Fiji national coach visits Scott Wara to discuss international future". Oceania FC. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
5. ^ a b c Peter Smith (7 October 2017). "How teenage defender went from throwing coconuts to rising star at Stoke". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
6. ^ Jim Hannah (22 December 2017). "Leek Town manager Neil Baker signs up Stoke City defender on loan". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
7. ^ "Boxing day derby is a Christmas cracker". Leek Town F.C. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
8. ^ "Chapman spot on to extend winning run". Leek Town F.C. 30 December 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
9. ^ "Club announce retained list". Stoke City. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
10. ^ Smith, Peter (30 October 2020). "Ex-Stoke City youth Scott Wara lands trial at Newcastle United". StokeonTrentLive.
11. ^ Report: Leek Town 2-2 Trafford Leek Town FC. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
12. ^ Report: Gresley Rovers 0-2 Leek Town Leek Town FC. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
13. ^ "Harps Bolster Backline with Double Swoop – Finn Harps FC".
14. ^ "Scott Wara signs for Celtic".
15. ^ "Scott Wara of Stoke City called up to Fiji squad for the first time". Oceania FC. 1 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
16. ^ "Solomons and Fiji draw even". OFC. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
17. ^ "Wara joins Fiji U23 side". Fiji Times. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2023 - via PressReader.
18. ^ "Boot Dreams: Now or Never – meet the players, presenter Roman Kemp and head coach Gifton Noel-Williams". www.bbc.co.uk.
19. ^ "Football Web Pages | Leek Town | Appearances | Scott Wara". www.footballwebpages.co.uk. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
20. ^ "Football Web Pages | Leek Town | Appearances | Scott Wara". www.footballwebpages.co.uk. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
21. ^ "Scott Wara". flashscore.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
22. ^ "Stalybridge Celtic | Player Profile | Scott Wara". stalybridgeceltic.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
23. ^ "Stalybridge Celtic | Player Profile | Scott Wara". stalybridgeceltic.co.uk. Retrieved 7 June 2024.

## External links[edit]

* Scott Wara at Global Sports Archive

* v
* t
* e

Fiji squad – 2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup

* 1 Mustahib
* 2 Wara
* 3 Matanisiga
* 4 Kumar
* 5 Cavuilagi
* 6 Dunn
* 7 Raheem
* 8 Hughes
* 9 Krishna (c)
* 10 Begg
* 11 McMullen
* 12 Waranaivalu
* 13 Nabose
* 14 Nalaubu
* 15 Dogalau
* 16 Tuivuna
* 17 Baravilala
* 18 Gonerau
* 19 Nand
* 20 Vuakaca
* 21 Vasconcellos
* 22 Sevanaia
* 23 Matarerega
* Coach: Sherman

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template