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Kieron Baker

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Kieron Baker
Personal information
Full name Kieron Richard Baker[1]
Date of birth (1949-10-29) 29 October 1949 (age 75)
Place of birth Ryde, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1965–1967 Fulham
Ryde County Old Boys
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1967–1978 Bournemouth 217 (0)
1971 → Montreal Olympique (loan) 18 (0)
1973 → Brentford (loan) 6 (0)
1978–1979 Ipswich Town 0 (0)
→ Norwich City (loan)
1980 Phoenix Fire
1980–1981 Oxford City 38 (0)
1981–1983 Weymouth 75 (0)
1983 Yeovil Town 15
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kieron Richard Baker (born 29 October 1949) is an English retired professional football goalkeeper who appeared in the Football League for Bournemouth and Brentford.[2] He also played in Canada.[2]

Career

Early years

A goalkeeper, Baker began his career as an apprentice at Division One side Fulham in 1965.[3] He appeared for the Cottagers' youth and reserve teams, but failed to be awarded a professional contract. Baker left the club to return to his native Isle of Wight for a short spell with Ryde County Old Boys.[3]

Bournemouth

Baker returned to the mainland to sign for Division Three side Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in July 1967.[1] He had to wait until the 1969–70 season to make his debut, making 17 league appearances in a disastrous season which saw the Cherries relegated to Division Four. A return to Division Three football in 1971 (under the name 'Bournemouth') saw Baker make just 13 league appearances over the following three seasons, but he finally broke through into the first team during the 1973–74 season, making 33 league appearances. He was a regular in goal until the end of the 1977–78 season, missing just five league games in each of his final two seasons at Dean Court. Baker departed Bournemouth in June 1978, having made 248 appearances in 11 years for the club.[3] That summer, he was awarded a testimonial for his service to the club.

Montreal Olympique (loan)

Baker moved to Canada to join North American Soccer League side Montreal Olympique on loan for the 1971 season.[4] He appeared in 18 games of a poor season for the side,[4] which finished bottom of the Northern Division.

Brentford (loan)

Out of favour at Bournemouth, Baker joined struggling Division Three side Brentford on a one-month loan in February 1973,[2] which was later extended until the end of the 1972–73 season.[5] He made six appearances for the Bees before being recalled by Bournemouth.[5]

Ipswich Town

In a surprise move, Baker signed for Division One side Ipswich Town in a £20,000 deal in the summer of 1978.[3] He failed to make a single first team appearance, instead making 18 appearances for the reserves.[6] An injury forced Baker to retire from football at the end of the 1978–79 season.[3]

Norwich City (loan)

Baker joined Ipswich's East Anglian rivals Norwich City on loan during the 1978–79 season, but failed to make an appearance.[3]

Phoenix Fire

Baker moved to the United States to sign for new American Soccer League side Phoenix Fire in early 1980, linking up with former Bournemouth teammate Harry Redknapp.[7] The club folded due to financial irregularities before the beginning of the 1980 season.[8]

Oxford City

Baker returned to England and linked up again with Harry Redknapp (now assistant to manager Bobby Moore) at Isthmian League Division One side Oxford City in 1980.[9] He made 38 appearances for the club.[9]

Weymouth

Baker moved back to the south coast to sign for Alliance Premier League side Weymouth in June 1981.[3] He established himself in the first team and made 110 appearances before departing in 1983.[10]

Yeovil Town

Baker followed Weymouth teammates Trevor Finnegan, Gary Borthwick and Billy Elliott to Alliance Premier League side Yeovil Town in 1983.[11] Baker found first team chances hard to come by, making just 21 appearances before retiring in November 1983.[12]

Career statistics

Club Season League National Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Montreal Olympique (loan) 1971[4] North American Soccer League 18 0 — — 18 0
Brentford (loan) 1972–73[13] Third Division 6 0 — — 6 0
Career total 24 0 — — 24 0

References

  1. ^ a b "Barry Hugman's Footballers – Kieron Baker". hugmansfootballers.com. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 15. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Pride of Anglia – Ipswich Town Football Club". tmwmtt.com. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  4. ^ a b c "NASL Soccer North American Soccer League Players-Kieron". nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  5. ^ a b Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 267. ISBN 978-1906796709.
  6. ^ "Pride of Anglia – Ipswich Town Football Club". tmwmtt.com. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  7. ^ Redknapp, Harry (2013). Always Managing: My Autobiography. Ebury Press. p. 116. ISBN 978-0091917876.
  8. ^ "1980 Phoenix Fire, American Soccer League". Fun While It Lasted. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Players (Alphabetic)". docs.google.com. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Player Archive". THE TERRAS. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Yeovil Town Story Part 39". ciderspace.co.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  12. ^ "Season 1983–84 : First Team Appearances".
  13. ^ White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 392. ISBN 0951526200.
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