Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Matthew Baker [1] | ||
Date of birth | 6 February 2003 | ||
Place of birth | Kent, England | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Newport County | ||
Number | 4 | ||
Youth career | |||
2011–2021 | Gillingham | ||
2021–2022 | Stoke City | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2022–2024 | Stoke City | 0 | (0) |
2023 | → Newport County (loan) | 18 | (0) |
2023–2024 | → Newport County (loan) | 32 | (0) |
2024– | Newport County | 2 | (1) |
International career‡ | |||
Wales U17 | |||
Wales U19 | |||
2023– | Wales U21 | 5 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:18, 24 August 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:10, 22 March 2024 (UTC) |
Matthew Baker (born 6 February 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League Two club Newport County [2] and the Wales under-21 national team.
Baker progressed through the Gillingham youth system and signed for Stoke City in June 2021. [3] [4] He moved on loan to Newport County in January 2023 for the remainder of the 2022–23 season. [5] [6] [7] [8] He made his Football League debut for Newport on 14 February 2023 in the League Two 2–2 draw against Stevenage. [9] Baker made 18 appearances for Newport helping them finish in 15th position. [10] In September 2023 Baker re-joined Newport County on loan for the 2023–24 season. [11] Baker made 39 appearances for the Exiles as they finished in 18th position. [12] [13] In May 2024, Stoke City offered Baker a contract extension. [14]
On 1 July 2024, Baker returned to Newport County on a permanent two-year deal after both clubs had reached a compensation agreement. [15] [16] Baker scored his first goal for Newport on 17 August 2024 in the 3-1 EFL League Two win against Doncaster Rovers. [17]
Baker is from Kent and qualifies for Wales through his mother who was born in Narberth, Pembrokeshire. [18] He is a Wales youth international and captained them at under-19 level. [19] On 26 March 2023 Baker made his Wales under-21 debut in the starting line-up for the 3–0 friendly match win against Scotland under-21 in Spain. [20] He later became under-21 captain. [16]
In June 2024 Baker was called up to the Wales senior squad for the first time. [21]
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Stoke City | 2022–23 [10] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
2023–24 [12] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Newport County (loan) | 2022–23 [10] | League Two | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
Newport County (loan) | 2023–24 [12] | League Two | 32 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 [lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 39 | 0 |
Career total | 50 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 57 | 0 |
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