Billy Baker
Encyclopedia
William George "Billy" Baker (3 October 1920 – 11 February 2005) was a Welsh
former professional footballer and Wales
international.
, Baker began his career Troedrhiw before joining Cardiff City
in January 1938, after having trials at a number of clubs including Arsenal
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
. He made his debut for the club in a 2-0 win over Northampton Town
in February 1939 as an outside-right but would make just two more appearances before the outbreak of World War II
. Baker had played in 22 wartime fixtures for the club when he was called up to enlist.
He was captured by Japan
ese troops and spent four years as a Prisoner of war
. On the return of The Football League
in 1946, Baker was converted into a wing half
. In 1948 Baker was handed his first and only cap for Wales
in a 2-0 defeat to Northern Ireland
. He spent nine post-war years at Cardiff before leaving in 1955. He transferred to Ipswich Town
, where he ended his playing days. After leaving Ipswich, he returned to Cardiff, where be became an ambulance driver, remaining a well recognised figure to older fans, and continued playing amateur football until 1959 for Ton Pentre
in the Welsh Football League
.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
former professional footballer and Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
international.
Career
Born in PenrhiwceiberPenrhiwceiber
Penrhiwceiber is a former Welsh coal mining village and community deep in the South Wales Valleys of Wales. Penrhiwceiber is situated in the Cynon Valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, it lies 1 mile south of the town of Mountain Ash...
, Baker began his career Troedrhiw before joining Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
in January 1938, after having trials at a number of clubs including Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. He made his debut for the club in a 2-0 win over Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
in February 1939 as an outside-right but would make just two more appearances before the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Baker had played in 22 wartime fixtures for the club when he was called up to enlist.
He was captured by Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese troops and spent four years as a Prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. On the return of The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
in 1946, Baker was converted into a wing half
Wing half
In association football, the position of wing half or wing half back) was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries...
. In 1948 Baker was handed his first and only cap for Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
in a 2-0 defeat to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
. He spent nine post-war years at Cardiff before leaving in 1955. He transferred to Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
, where he ended his playing days. After leaving Ipswich, he returned to Cardiff, where be became an ambulance driver, remaining a well recognised figure to older fans, and continued playing amateur football until 1959 for Ton Pentre
Ton Pentre F.C.
Ton Pentre Football Club is a football team based in Ton Pentre, Wales, which plays in the Welsh Football League Division Two.Nicknamed the "Rhondda Bulldogs", the team plays at Ynys Park, Ton Pentre, Rhondda Cynon Taff, which once accommodated 2700 seated spectators...
in the Welsh Football League
Welsh Football League
The Welsh Football League is a club football league in Wales. Division One of the Welsh Football League is at Level 2 of the Welsh football league system, immediately below the national Welsh Premier League.The Welsh Football League's history stretches back to 1904 when the competition was first...
.
Honours
Cardiff City- Football League Third Division SouthFootball League Third Division SouthThe Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
Winner: 1
-
- 1946–47
- Welsh CupWelsh CupThe Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
Runner-up: 1
-
- 1950–51
- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Runner-up: 1
-
- 1951–52