Drew Baker

Drew Baker
Personal information
Full name Andrew Macdonald Baker[1]
Date of birth (2002-10-08) 8 October 2002
Place of birth Cheshire, England
Position Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Hyde United
Youth career
2007–2017 Manchester City
2017–2019 Crewe Alexandra
2019–2021 Oldham Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 FC United of Manchester 20 (1)
2022–2024 Fleetwood Town 8 (0)
2023 → Bohemians (loan) 1 (0)
2023 → Waterford (loan) 8 (0)
2024 Macclesfield 12 (0)
2024– Hyde United 36 (4)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11:47, 6 May 2025 (UTC)

Andrew Macdonald Baker (born 8 October 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Hyde United.

Career

Baker was born in Cheshire but attended Manchester Grammar School.[2] Whilst at the school, he was called up in November 2019 to the England Independent Schools Under-18 age group matches against Wales Colleges and England Colleges.[3] He started his youth career in the Academy at Manchester City where he played for ten years from the under-4 to under-14 level, winning the Premier League Championship three times.[2] He subsequently spent two years in the youth team at Crewe Alexandra before signing a two-year scholarship at EFL League Two side Oldham Athletic.[2] In May 2021, it was announced that he would not be offered a professional contract at Oldham and that he would be released at the end of his scholarship.[4]

He dropped down to Non-League when he signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division side FC United of Manchester for the 2021–22 campaign, following a trial during pre-season.[5] As the club only trained part-time, he also worked as an IT Consultant.[6] He was an ever-present in the backline going onto make twenty-seven appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal in a 3–1 win over Witton Albion.[5]

On 4 January 2022, he signed for EFL League One side Fleetwood Town on a deal until the summer of 2023, with the club holding an option for another one-year extension.[5] Upon signing, he was immediately placed into the Development Squad.[5] On 23 August 2022, he made his professional debut at the age of 19, when he started in the 1–0 EFL Cup second round defeat at home to Premier League side Everton.[6] On 3 September he made his League One Debut against Wycombe Wanders in a 1–1 draw.

On 16 February 2023, Baker signed for League of Ireland Premier Division club Bohemians on loan until the end of June.[7]

On 4 July 2023, Baker signed for League of Ireland First Division side Waterford, sister club of Fleetwood Town, on loan until the end of their season in November.[8]

On 4 January 2024, Baker joined NPL Premier Division club Macclesfield on a permanent transfer.[9]

In July 2024, Baker joined fellow NPL Premier Division side Hyde United following a successful trial period, where he went on to play an important role, as the club managed to secure a 9th place finish.[10]

Career statistics

As of match played 21 August 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
FC United of Manchester 2021–22[11] NPL Premier Division 20140—3[a]0271
Fleetwood Town 2022–23[12] League One 80101020120
Bohemians (loan) 2023[12] LOI Premier Division 10——1[b]020
Waterford (loan) 2023[12] LOI First Division 4020—0060
Hyde United FC 2024 NPL Premier Division 364364
Career total 694701040835
  1. ↑ Two appearances in FA Trophy, one in Fenix Trophy
  2. ↑ Appearance in Leinster Senior Cup

References

  1. ↑ "CLUB LIST OF REGISTERED PLAYERS" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "DREW BAKER '21 RECRUITING PROFILE". Retrieved 24 August 2022 – via NCSA.
  3. ↑ "England call-up for talented footballer Drew". 25 November 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2022 – via Manchester Grammar School.
  4. ↑ Geldard, Suzanne (27 May 2021). "Oldham youth team trio sign first professional contracts". Retrieved 24 August 2022 – via Oldham Times.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Young centre-half Drew Baker joins Town's Development Squad". 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022 – via Fleetwood Town FC.
  6. 1 2 "Baker: It was a proud moment for me and my family". 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022 – via Fleetwood Town FC.
  7. ↑ "Baker heads to Irish Premier Division side Bohemian FC on loan". 16 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Drew Baker Joins on Loan". 4 July 2023.
  9. ↑ "DREW BAKER SIGNS FOR THE SILKMEN". macclesfieldfc.com. 4 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "Drew puts pen to paper". hydeunited.co.uk. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  11. ↑ "Drew Baker". FC United Fan. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 "D. Baker Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 24 August 2022.