Matt Baker (footballer, born 2003)
{{Short description|Welsh footballer (born 2003)}}
{{other people|Matthew Baker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Matt Baker
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|fullname = Matthew Baker{{cite web |title=EFL Squad List: Season 2021/22 |url=https://www.efl.com/contentassets/c5d1297ad65c49c6bac4ae0e69c6b48e/squad-list-publication-report-2021-22---08.09.2021.pdf |website=EFL |access-date=14 February 2023}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|2|6|df=y}}
|birth_place = Kent, England
|height = 1.86m{{Cite web|url=https://www.newport-county.co.uk/player/4|title=M. Baker|website=Newport County A.F.C.}}
|position = Defender
|currentclub = Newport County
|clubnumber = 4
|youthyears1 = 2011–2021
|youthclubs1 = Gillingham
|youthyears2 = 2021–2022
|youthclubs2 = Stoke City
|years1 = 2022–2024
|clubs1 = Stoke City
|caps1 = 0
|goals1 = 0
|years2 = 2023
|clubs2 = → Newport County (loan)
|caps2 = 18
|goals2 = 0
|years3 = 2023–2024
|clubs3 = → Newport County (loan)
|caps3 = 32
|goals3 = 0
|years4 = 2024–
|clubs4 = Newport County
|caps4 = 40
|goals4 = 4
|nationalyears1 =
|nationalteam1 = Wales U17
|nationalcaps1 =
|nationalgoals1 =
|nationalyears2 =
|nationalteam2 = Wales U19
|nationalcaps2 =
|nationalgoals2 =
|nationalyears3 = 2023–2024
|nationalteam3 = Wales U21
|nationalcaps3 = 8
|nationalgoals3 = 0
|club-update = 16:15, 26 April 2025 (UTC)
|ntupdate = 18:10, 15 October 2024 (UTC)
}}
Matthew Baker (born 6 February 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for {{English football updater|NewportC}} club Newport County.{{Soccerway|matt-baker/592115}} He is a former Wales under-21 international.
Club career
Baker progressed through the Gillingham youth system and signed for Stoke City in June 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/stoke-city-transfer-baker-roney-5584642|title=Stoke City complete double swoop for Roney and Baker|first=Peter|last=Smith|date=28 June 2021|website=StokeonTrentLive}}{{cite web |title=Stoke City sign Gillingham defender and Northern Ireland youth international |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/stoke-city-transfer-baker-roney-5584642 |website=Stoke Sentinel |date=28 June 2021 |access-date=14 February 2023}} He moved on loan to Newport County in January 2023 for the remainder of the 2022–23 season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64428233|title=Newport sign Stoke defender Baker on loan|work=BBC Sport |date=27 January 2023 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/23280904.stoke-city-defender-matt-baker-moves-loan-newport-county/|title=Stoke City defender Matt Baker moves on loan to Newport County|website=South Wales Argus|date=27 January 2023 }}{{Cite web|url=https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/confirmed-county-wales-prospect-mean-125123382.html|title=CONFIRMED: County make Wales prospect with a mean streak their second signing|website=uk.sports.yahoo.com}}{{cite web |title=Matt Baker arrives on loan! |url=https://www.newport-county.co.uk/news/20232/january/matt-baker-arrives-on-loan/ |website=Newport County |access-date=14 February 2023}} He made his Football League debut for Newport on 14 February 2023 in the League Two 2–2 draw against Stevenage.{{cite news |title=Newport County 2–2 Stevenage as a second-half substitute |work=BBC Sport |date=14 February 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64549645 |access-date=14 February 2023}} Baker made 18 appearances for Newport helping them finish in 15th position. In September 2023 Baker re-joined Newport County on loan for the 2023–24 season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66686335|title=Newport seal Thomas and Baker loan deals|work=BBC Sport |date=September 2023 }} Baker made 39 appearances for the Exiles as they finished in 18th position.{{cite news |title=Bradford City 4-1 Newport County |work=BBC Sport |date=27 April 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68862492 |access-date=28 April 2024}} In May 2024, Stoke City offered Baker a contract extension.{{cite web|url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2024/may/21/potters-release-contracts-update/|title=Potters release contracts update|website=www.stokecityfc.com|date=21 May 2024|accessdate=21 May 2024}}
On 1 July 2024, Baker returned to Newport County on a permanent two-year deal after both clubs had reached a compensation agreement.{{cite web|url=https://www.newport-county.co.uk/news/newport-county-sign-matt-baker-permanent-deal|title=Newport County sign Matt Baker on permanent deal|website=www.newport-county.co.uk|date=1 July 2024|accessdate=1 July 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c3gvl7rn4v0o|title=Matt Baker: Wales U21 skipper signs permanent Newport County deal|date=1 July 2024|website=BBC Sport}} Baker scored his first goal for Newport on 17 August 2024 in the 3-1 EFL League Two win against Doncaster Rovers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c4gxepd18zgt|title=Newport County vs Doncaster Rovers: League Two|website=BBC Sport}}
International career
Baker is from Kent and qualifies for Wales through his mother who was born in Narberth, Pembrokeshire.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/23404815.stoke-defender-matt-baker-given-newport-county-reality-check/|title=Bright prospect Baker needed a County reality check – Wales U21s boss|website=South Wales Argus|date=23 March 2023 }} He is a Wales youth international and captained them at under-19 level.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/23274082.stoke-prospect-matt-baker-linked-loan-move-newport-county/|title=County linked with loan move for Stoke's promising Wales U21s defender|website=South Wales Argus|date=25 January 2023 }} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://dragonsoccer.co.uk/newsite/index.php?id=347|title=Wales Football – dragonsoccer – Welsh International Football|website=dragonsoccer.co.uk}} He later became under-21 captain.
In June 2024 Baker was called up to the Wales senior squad for the first time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cn002x7zgkzo|title=Connor Roberts and Joe Rodon out of Wales friendly in Gibraltar|date=3 June 2024|website=BBC Sport}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 26 April 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||||
| + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
!rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=3|Stoke City
|2022–23{{Soccerbase season|id=166801|season=2022|access-date=21 February 2023}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24{{Soccerbase season|id=166801|season=2023|access-date=21 October 2023}}
|Championship |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Newport County (loan)
|18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| Newport County (loan)
|League Two |32 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2{{Efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.}} | 0 | 39 | 0 | |
| Newport County
|2024–25{{Soccerbase season|id=166801|season=2024|access-date=15 October 2024}} |League Two |40 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3{{Efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 45 | 4 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!90 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 102 | 4 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Newport County A.F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Matt}}
Category:Footballers from Kent
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen
Category:Wales men's youth international footballers
Category:Wales men's under-21 international footballers
Category:English men's footballers
Category:English people of Welsh descent
Category:Gillingham F.C. players
Category:Stoke City F.C. players
Category:Newport County A.F.C. players
Category:English Football League players