Colin Baker (Welsh footballer)

Colin Walter Baker (18 December 1934 – 11 April 2021) was a Welsh professional footballer. A wing half, he spent his entire professional career playing for his home town club Cardiff City, making over 300 appearances during a 13-year spell with the Bluebirds.[3] He also won 7 caps for the Wales national team during his career and was part of the squad for the 1958 FIFA World Cup.

Colin Baker
Personal information
Full name Colin Walter Baker[1]
Date of birth (1934-12-18)18 December 1934
Place of birth Cardiff, Wales
Date of death 11 April 2021(2021-04-11) (aged 86)
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Wing half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1953–1966 Cardiff City 298 (18)
International career
1958 Wales U23 1 (0)
1958–1961 Wales 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Born in Tremorfa, Cardiff,[4] Baker had to play rugby at school, but preferred football, and soon joined Cardiff Nomads.[5] Baker joined Cardiff City from Cardiff Nomads as an amateur in 1951. He became a part-time professional between 1952 and 1953 whilst completing his National Service in the Royal Air Force. He became a full-time professional in 1953.[4] During summer months, Baker would stay fit by playing Baseball for Adamsdown.[6]

He made his debut in a 2–2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday on the final day of the 1953–54 season and went on to take over from his namesake Billy Baker on a permanent basis and his partnership with Alan Harrington during the 1959–60 season helped the Bluebirds win promotion back to the First Division.[7] Very rarely suffering from injuries, in 1965 he became the first Cardiff player ever to be substituted, which had recently been introduced, when he was taken off due to injury during a match against Bury for David Summerhayes.[7] He was a first team player for the Bluebirds for more than a decade and is regarded as one of the greatest players in the club's history.[7][8]

International career

Baker gained one cap for the Wales under-23 side during a match against England.[9][10] Despite being uncapped at senior level, Baker was selected as part of the Wales squad for the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden.[6] He made his debut for Wales during the tournament in Wales' second group game,[4] a 1–1 draw with Mexico in the group stages after being brought in for Cardiff teammate Derrick Sullivan.[11] Sullivan had suffered a knee injury during Wales' opening group match against Hungary and failed a late fitness test for the following match.[9] Baker came close to scoring in the first half of the match, hitting the crossbar with one shot after chipping Mexican goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal but was forced off the pitch in the final minutes of the game with injury during which Mexico scored a late equaliser.[9][12] He did not feature again during the tournament but went on to win a total of 7 caps,[13] making his final appearance on 8 November 1961 against Scotland.[14]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[15]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup[nb 1] Other[nb 2] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cardiff City 1953–54 First Division 1000–0010
1954–55 2000–0020
1955–56 24120–51312
1956–57 27320–30323
1957–58 Second Division 23140–00271
1958–59 39120–50461
1959–60 36600–51417
1960–61 First Division 394302040484
1961–62 421104040511
1962–63 Second Division 390102010430
1963–64 121102020171
1964–65 6000003090
1965–66 80102020130
Total 2981817012034236120
  1. The Football League Cup was introduced in the 1960–61 season.
  2. Includes other competitive competitions, including the Welsh Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

Honours

Cardiff City[8]

References
  1. "Colin Baker". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  2. "Wales 1958". footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  3. "Colin Baker". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  4. "Wales' Terry Medwin and Colin Baker's 1958 World Cup memories". BBC Sport. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  5. Soccer Who's Who compiled by Maurice Golesworthy The Sportsmans Book Club London 1965
  6. "BEEN THERE, DONE IT, GOT THE SHIRT!" (PDF). Cardiff City Supporters Club. August 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  7. "The 50 greatest Cardiff City players in history....Which Bluebird comes out on top?". WalesOnline. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  8. Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Derby: Breedon Books. pp. 16–17. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.
  9. Ian Hunt (24 June 2002). "Football: Baker Cherishes His Time in the Limelight with Murphy's Men; Wales and the World Cup: 'Total Surprise' for City Midfielder". Western Mail. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018 – via HighBeam Research.
  10. "Colin Baker". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  11. "1958 World Cup". Penmon.org. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  12. Peters, Paul (26 March 2016). The Road to 58. ISBN 9781326604189. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  13. "World cup look back". cardiffcityfc.co.uk. 15 June 2006. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  14. Hayes, Dean P. (2004). Wales The Complete Who's Who of Footballers Since 1946. Sutton Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-7509-3700-9.
  15. Shepherd, Richard (2002). The Definitive: Cardiff City F.C. Nottingham: SoccerData Publications. pp. 53–65. ISBN 1-899-46817-X.
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