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Southampton born and bred, Graham Baker joined his local club as a
schoolboy in October 1973 and forced his way into the reserve side at
the start of the 1976-77 season, a time when the Club, although the FA
Cup holders, were seeking promotion back to the top flight after
relegation in 1974. The following season saw Saints still engaged in the
struggle to regain First Division status and in November they were
scheduled to play away to Blackburn Rovers, like themselves fellow early
promotion contenders. It was to be a memorable match but not for the
right reasons as Peter Osgood and Steve Williams lost their halos and
were sent off during a very acrimonious 2-1 defeat. Osgood never played
another game for Southampton while Steve Williams's subsequent
suspension paved the way for the debut v Blackpool, the following week,
of another promising 18-year-old, Graham Baker. What was to make the
debut even more auspicious for the fair-haired midfielder was that,
unusually for a 2nd Division fixture, the BBC's 'Match of the Day'
cameras were in town. Imagine then, the youngsters' delight when he
opened the scoring within the first minute! The Saints duly won 2-0 and
by Christmas the team had eased into a never-to-be-relinquished
promotion slot.
Graham only played 2 further games that campaign but his
stunning arrival on the scene ensured that the following year he made
22 First Division appearances, including the opener at Norwich, and
scored 5 goals. He was a hard-tackling, hustling type of player who
could pass, shoot and had an engine that marked him out as one of the
most industrious performers in the team's successful quest to
re-establish themselves. His main midfield partners were Steve Williams
and Alan Ball and much credit for Graham's early development must be
laid at the door of the latter who was the perfect tutor for both
youngsters. Williams was hot-headed, but had pace and flair aplenty,
while Graham was the more phlegmatic and dependable. By 1980
Southampton, under the ambitious Lawrie McMenemy were ready to compete
with the elite, especially having signed European Player-of-the Year,
Kevin Keegan, and during 1980-81 they finished 5th with Graham - who had
by now won U-21 recognition - a virtual ever-present. The next season
they even led the Division for 3 months before tailing off to finish
5th, Baker scoring 4 goals in his 26 league outings. Unfortunately that
was to be as good as it got for the Saints and Graham, close on the
heels of Keegan's departure to Newcastle, was also sold, to Manchester
City, for £350,000 to help finance the arrival of Peter Shilton. (Duncan Holley)
1976–1982 Southampton 113 (22)
1982–1987 Manchester City 117 (19)
1987–1990 Southampton 60 (11)
1990 Aldershot (loan) 7 (2)
1990–1992 Fulham 10 (1)
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