Alan Baker (footballer)
English footballer (1944–2026)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alan "Bilko" Baker (or Allan Baker;[2] 22 June 1944 – 1 January 2026) was an English footballer who played as a forward for Walsall and Aston Villa.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 June 1944 | ||
| Place of birth | Tipton, Staffordshire, England | ||
| Date of death | 1 January 2026 (aged 81) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1958 | Brierley Hill Schoolboys[1] | ||
| 1958–1961 | Aston Villa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1961–1966 | Aston Villa | 92 | (13) |
| 1966–1970 | Walsall | ||
| International career | |||
| 1959 | England Schoolboys | 5 | (2) |
| Managerial career | |||
| Walsall Youth (coach) | |||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
Baker was born in Tipton, Staffordshire. He joined Aston Villa as a schoolboy from Brierley Hill Schoolboys in 1958.[1] He went on to debut for the club on 8 April 1961 during a 1–1 draw against Fulham, and he made 109 appearances (92 League, 17 Cup) for the club, scoring 17 goals.[3] His last appearance for Aston Villa was a 6–1 loss against Manchester United on 6 May 1966.[4][2]
Baker joined Walsall in 1967 and he suffered a knee injury on 12 September 1970 during a 2–0 victory against Tranmere Rovers in which he also scored.[5] He retired at the age of 27 as a result of the injury.[6]
International career
As part of the "Class of 1959", Baker made five appearances for England Schoolboys during 1959, debuting during the 1–1 draw against Wales on 11 April 1959.[7] His first goal came during the 3–1 victory against Northern Ireland on 17 April 1959, and his second goal came during the 2–0 victory against West Germany on 25 April 1959 where he scored the second goal.[8]
