Billy Baker (footballer, born 1894)

Arthur Lewis Baker (8 January 1894 – March 1972) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Brentford as an outside left.

Billy Baker

Baker lining up for Brentford in 1919.
Personal information
Full name	Arthur Lewis Baker[1]
Date of birth	(1894-01-08)8 January 1894
Place of birth	Plumstead, England
Date of death	March 1972 (1972-04) (aged 78)[2]
Place of death	Merton, England
Position(s)	Outside left
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1918–1919	Brentford	26	(6)
1920–1921	Brentford	4	(0)
1921	Manchester City	0	(0)
1922	Hampstead Town	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

A Royal Navy regular with no experience of professional football, Baker signed for London Combination club Brentford in the autumn of 1918.^[3] His performances on the wing were such that he forced cricket/football star Patsy Hendren to switch to the other flank in order to stay in the team.^[3] Baker was a part of the team which won the London Combination title in the 1918–19 season, but his Navy duties took him away from Griffin Park after the season.^[3] Baker re-registered with Brentford on 15 October 1920,^[4] during the club's first season in the Football League.^[3] He made four appearances,^[5] but the club declined to buy him out of the Navy.^[3] He transferred to First Division club Manchester City in February 1920,^[4] but failed to make an appearance.^[3] Baker dropped into non-League football to sign for Athenian League club Hampstead Town briefly in 1922.^[6]

Personal life

Baker joined the Royal Navy prior to the First World War.^[2]

Honours

Brentford

• London Combination: 1918–19^[3]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Brentford	1920–21[5]	Third Division	4	0	0	0	—		4	0
Hampstead Town	1922–23[7]	Athenian League	2	0	0	0	2[lower-alpha 1]	2	4	2
Career total			6	0	0	0	2	2	8	2

1. Appearances in London Challenge Cup

References

1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 15. ISBN 978-1905891610.
2. Billy Baker on Lives of the First World War
3. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. p. 15. ISBN 978-0955294914.
4. "The Football Association – Season 1920–21 – Summary Of Professional Registrations". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
5. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 366. ISBN 0951526200.
6. "Former Staff – A Baker". Greensnet – Official Hendon FC. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
7. "Results – Season 1922/1923". Greensnet – Official Hendon FC. Retrieved 31 March 2019.