Billy Baker (footballer, born 1894)


Arthur Lewis Baker was an English professional football outside left who played in the Football League for Brentford.

Career

A Royal Navy regular with no experience of professional football, Baker signed for London Combination club Brentford in the autumn of 1918. 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. 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. Baker returned on trial in the autumn of 1920, during Brentford's first season in the Football League. He made four appearances, but the club declined to buy him out of the Navy. After a failed trial at Manchester City, Baker dropped into non-league football to sign for Athenian League club Hampstead Town briefly in 1922.

Personal life

Baker joined the Royal Navy prior to the First World War.

Honours

Brentford