Graham Baker
Encyclopedia
Graham Baker is an English
former footballer
who played as a midfielder for Southampton
, Manchester City
and Fulham
.
, Baker started his football career when he signed for Southampton F.C.
as a junior in 1973. His first team debut came on 12 November 1977 in a Second Division
match against Blackpool
, in which he scored in the opening minute. Baker made only two further appearances that season, in which Southampton were promoted to the First Division
.
He was a hard-tackling, hustling type of player who could pass and shoot and was one of the most industrious performers in Southampton's successful quest to re-establish themselves in Division 1. In the 1978-79 season he established himself in the first team, making 22 League appearances in midfield, playing alongside Steve Williams, Alan Ball and Nick Holmes
. Although Southampton played in the League Cup
final in 1979, Baker only made one substitute appearance during the whole run, with either Trevor Hebberd
or Austin Hayes
generally being preferred.
Over the next three seasons, he continued to be a regular in Saints' midfield, and in the 1980–81 season he was a virtual ever-present making 39 appearances (scoring 8 goals), now playing alongside Kevin Keegan
and Mick Channon
, as Saints finished in 6th place in Division 1, then their highest league finish.
During his time at Southampton he was twice capped by England
at under-21 level, playing against Norway
and Romania
in 1980. He made 113 League appearances for Southampton before being sold to John Bond
's Manchester City for £350,000 in the 1982 close season, as Lawrie McMenemy
needed to raise funds to finance the signing of Peter Shilton
.
in which Baker scored both goals, and City became early league leaders. However, the good form did not last and the season turned into a struggle in the bottom half of the table, culminating in relegation on the final day of the season.
The 1983–84 season was a reasonably prosperous one for Baker as he scored 8 goals in 36 games, equalling the highest goalscoring return of his career, though Manchester City finished one place short of promotion. Injuries dusrupted Baker's next season, in which he made 29 appearances in a promotion winning side. On his return to the top flight, Baker made few appearances - nine in the 1985–86 season and thirteen in 1986–87. In 1987 Manchester City were again relegated, and Baker returned to Southampton on a free transfer, having made 135 Manchester City appearances in five years.
and the "glory days" of McMenemy were becoming a distant memory. At first Baker was again a first-choice player, making 36 appearances in 1987–88, alongside Jimmy Case
, Glenn Cockerill
and Andy Townsend
with the emeging talents of Danny Wallace
and Alan Shearer
up front. Gradually however his career at Southampton was disrupted by injury, and in 1990 he went to Fulham
on a free transfer after losing his place in midfield to Barry Horne
.
and from 1995 to 2003 he was a coach with Carshalton Athletic
. In 2005 became Youth Development Officer at Woking
, under the management of former Southampton colleague, Glenn Cockerill
. Glenn Cockerill
departed in March 2007 and Graham Baker was appointed joint caretaker manager
with club captain Neil Smith
.
He took over as caretaker manager at Woking on 2 April 2009, following the sacking of Phil Gilchrist
. The club's relegation from the Conference National
was confirmed on 21 April, while he was in charge. The following day, he was given the job permanently, but Baker left the club on 19 January 2011.
.
He was also a keen cricketer enjoying a spell with local side Old Tenisonians in 90s. He was Club Captain during his time at the club, his abrasive style showing heavy signs of life in professional sport. He enjoyed moderate success at the club before leaving to concentrate on his football coaching career.
He is married to Erica and has three children, Oliver, Luke and Megan.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played as a midfielder for Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
.
Southampton
Born in SouthamptonSouthampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Baker started his football career when he signed for Southampton F.C.
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
as a junior in 1973. His first team debut came on 12 November 1977 in a Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 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...
match against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, in which he scored in the opening minute. Baker made only two further appearances that season, in which Southampton were promoted to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
.
He was a hard-tackling, hustling type of player who could pass and shoot and was one of the most industrious performers in Southampton's successful quest to re-establish themselves in Division 1. In the 1978-79 season he established himself in the first team, making 22 League appearances in midfield, playing alongside Steve Williams, Alan Ball and Nick Holmes
Nick Holmes (footballer)
Nicholas Charles Holmes is a retired footballer, who won the FA Cup Final with Southampton in 1976 and, from July 2002 to July 2010, was general manager of Salisbury City.-Southampton:...
. Although Southampton played in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
final in 1979, Baker only made one substitute appearance during the whole run, with either Trevor Hebberd
Trevor Hebberd
Trevor Neal Hebberd is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder.-Southampton:He signed for Southampton on leaving school in 1974 and made his first team debut two years later in a 2–2 draw against Hull City at Boothferry Park in the Second Division. He managed 12 league appearances...
or Austin Hayes
Austin Hayes
Austin William Patrick Hayes was an English-born footballer of Irish descent, who played once as a full international for the Republic of Ireland in 1979, the same year that he collected a Football League Cup runners-up medal with Southampton.-Football career:Hayes was born in Hammersmith, London...
generally being preferred.
Over the next three seasons, he continued to be a regular in Saints' midfield, and in the 1980–81 season he was a virtual ever-present making 39 appearances (scoring 8 goals), now playing alongside Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
and Mick Channon
Mick Channon
Michael Roger "Mick" Channon is a sportsman who enjoyed a career as a striker with Southampton and England in the 1970s and later became a hugely successful racehorse trainer.-Southampton:...
, as Saints finished in 6th place in Division 1, then their highest league finish.
During his time at Southampton he was twice capped by England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at under-21 level, playing against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
and Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
in 1980. He made 113 League appearances for Southampton before being sold to John Bond
John Bond (footballer)
John Frederick Bond is an English former professional football player and manager. His son Kevin Bond is also a former footballer.-Playing career:...
's Manchester City for £350,000 in the 1982 close season, as Lawrie McMenemy
Lawrie McMenemy
Lawrie McMenemy MBE is a retired English football coach, best known for his spell as manager of Southampton Football Club...
needed to raise funds to finance the signing of Peter Shilton
Peter Shilton
Peter Leslie Shilton OBE is a former English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He currently holds the record for playing more games for England than anyone else, earning 125 caps....
.
Manchester City
Baker's Manchester City career started well; the team won four of their first five games, including a 2–1 win over Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in which Baker scored both goals, and City became early league leaders. However, the good form did not last and the season turned into a struggle in the bottom half of the table, culminating in relegation on the final day of the season.
The 1983–84 season was a reasonably prosperous one for Baker as he scored 8 goals in 36 games, equalling the highest goalscoring return of his career, though Manchester City finished one place short of promotion. Injuries dusrupted Baker's next season, in which he made 29 appearances in a promotion winning side. On his return to the top flight, Baker made few appearances - nine in the 1985–86 season and thirteen in 1986–87. In 1987 Manchester City were again relegated, and Baker returned to Southampton on a free transfer, having made 135 Manchester City appearances in five years.
Return to Southampton
By now Southampton were under the management of Chris NichollChris Nicholl
Christopher John "Chris" Nicholl is an English-born former Northern Ireland international footballer.-Playing career:Nicholl was born in Macclesfield...
and the "glory days" of McMenemy were becoming a distant memory. At first Baker was again a first-choice player, making 36 appearances in 1987–88, alongside Jimmy Case
Jimmy Case
James Robert Case is a retired English football player who shot to fame with the all-conquering Liverpool side of the 1970s and became known as a player with one of the hardest shots in the game.-Early life:...
, Glenn Cockerill
Glenn Cockerill
Glenn Cockerill is a retired English footballer who played more than 700 games in The Football League in a 22-year career. He is perhaps best remembered from his eight-year spell at Southampton...
and Andy Townsend
Andy Townsend
Andrew "Andy" David Townsend is a former professional footballer, who played in two World Cups for the Republic of Ireland and is now a television and radio pundit....
with the emeging talents of Danny Wallace
Danny Wallace (footballer)
David Lloyd "Danny" Wallace is an English former footballer who played for Southampton, Manchester United, Millwall, Birmingham City and Wycombe Wanderers. He won one full cap for England. His football career was ended prematurely by the effects of multiple sclerosis.-Southampton:Wallace was born...
and Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
up front. Gradually however his career at Southampton was disrupted by injury, and in 1990 he went to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
on a free transfer after losing his place in midfield to Barry Horne
Barry Horne
Barry Horne was an English animal rights activist. He became known around the world in December 1998, when he engaged in a 68-day hunger strike in an effort to persuade the British government to hold a public inquiry into animal testing, something the Labour Party had said it would do before it...
.
Managerial and coaching career
He had a brief spell in 1994 as manager at Petersfield TownPetersfield Town F.C.
Petersfield Town F.C. are an English football club based in Petersfield, Hampshire, England. They are currently members of Wessex League Division One. They play at the Love Lane Stadium....
and from 1995 to 2003 he was a coach with Carshalton Athletic
Carshalton Athletic F.C.
Carshalton Athletic F.C. is an English football club based in Carshalton in the London Borough of Sutton, London. They currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division, and are based at the War Memorial Sports Ground.-Early years:...
. In 2005 became Youth Development Officer at Woking
Woking F.C.
Woking Football Club is a football club from in Woking, Surrey, England, formed in 1889. They are playing in the Conference South in the 2011–12 season. For the 2011/2012 season, Woking are sharing their ground with Conference National club Hayes & Yeading United.-Promotion to the...
, under the management of former Southampton colleague, Glenn Cockerill
Glenn Cockerill
Glenn Cockerill is a retired English footballer who played more than 700 games in The Football League in a 22-year career. He is perhaps best remembered from his eight-year spell at Southampton...
. Glenn Cockerill
Glenn Cockerill
Glenn Cockerill is a retired English footballer who played more than 700 games in The Football League in a 22-year career. He is perhaps best remembered from his eight-year spell at Southampton...
departed in March 2007 and Graham Baker was appointed joint caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
with club captain Neil Smith
Neil Smith (footballer)
Neil Smith is an English former professional football player and currently assistant manager at Lewes.-Playing career:...
.
He took over as caretaker manager at Woking on 2 April 2009, following the sacking of Phil Gilchrist
Phil Gilchrist
Philip Alexander "Phil" Gilchrist is an English footballer and was manager at Woking. He plays as a defender. He currently plays for Quorn in the Northern Premier League Division One South.-Career:...
. The club's relegation from the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
was confirmed on 21 April, while he was in charge. The following day, he was given the job permanently, but Baker left the club on 19 January 2011.
Personal life
After retiring from football he became a driving instructor in CheamCheam
Cheam is a large suburban village close to Sutton in the London Borough of Sutton, England, and is located close to the southern boundary between Greater London and Surrey. It is divided into two main areas: North Cheam and Cheam Village. North Cheam includes more retail shops and supermarkets,...
.
He was also a keen cricketer enjoying a spell with local side Old Tenisonians in 90s. He was Club Captain during his time at the club, his abrasive style showing heavy signs of life in professional sport. He enjoyed moderate success at the club before leaving to concentrate on his football coaching career.
He is married to Erica and has three children, Oliver, Luke and Megan.