Baker playing for Aston Villa in 2014
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Personal information | |||
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Full name | Nathan Luke Baker | ||
Date of birth | 23 April 1991 | ||
Place of birth | Worcester, England | ||
Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in) | ||
Playing position | Centre back / Left back | ||
Club information | |||
Current team
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Aston Villa | ||
Number | 2 | ||
Youth career | |||
2004–2009 | Aston Villa | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2009– | Aston Villa | 115 | (2) |
2009–2010 | → Lincoln City (loan) | 18 | (0) |
2011 | → Millwall (loan) | 6 | (0) |
2015–2016 | → Bristol City (loan) | 36 | (1) |
National team‡ | |||
2008–2010 | England U19 | 9 | (0) |
2011 | England U20 | 4 | (0) |
2011–2013 | England U21 | 3 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 2 June 2017. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 1 December 2016 |
Nathan Luke Baker (born 23 April 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Championship club Aston Villa. Baker is a product of the Aston Villa Academy and had loan spells at Lincoln City and Millwall early in his career, recently he spent a full season at Bristol City. He has represented England at U19, U20, and U21 levels.
Baker signed for Aston Villa as a 13-year-old in 2004, and rose through the ranks at the club, making his Academy debut in 2007. He was a pivotal figure in the centre of defence alongside Ciaran Clark in the 2007–08 season, as Villa clinched the national title, defeating Manchester City in the final. Baker finished the season with 1 goal from 23 appearances for the Academy team, and 2 goals from 7 appearances for the Reserves, who also tasted success by clinching the Premier Reserve League South.
The defender progressed to the first-team in the summer of 2008 by making the squad for the tour of Switzerland, of which Baker played in both matches against FC Wil and FC Zürich. In July 2008, Baker was named on the bench for the second leg of the UEFA Intertoto Cup tie against Odense Boldklub. A week later he was again named on the bench, this time for the trip to Icelandic side Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar in the Second qualifying round of the UEFA Cup.