Matt Baker

Baker comes from Leeds, and played for four years with Leeds City Boys. He was originally on the books of Leeds United as a schoolboy. However, he was signed as an apprentice at Hull City in 1996 and progressed through the youth ranks and turned professional in 1998. However, he suffered an horrendous knee injury which sidelined him for a season, but he eventually made two substitute appearances for the first team. He also made a sub appearance in the League Cup against Liverpool at Anfield, after Lee Bracey was sent off. He was released, after a spell on loan at Bradford Park Avenue, in 2000. He was snapped up by Hereford United of the Conference, where he was second choice goalkeeper to Scott Cooksey in the 2000–01 season, although he started two league matches conceding a goal in each. However a serious wrist injury forced Cooksey onto the sidelines, and eventually into retirement, meaning Baker started the 2001–02 season as first choice keeper where he impressed. He quickly established himself in the team and played all but five first team matches that season. Most notably he had an inspired Man-of-the-Match performance in the FA Cup against future club Wrexham, a match which was televised live by the BBC, as Hereford won 1–0. The following season he gained experience training with Aston Villa, and was an ever-present in the first team where he repeated this consistency in the 2003–04 season when Hereford came close to promotion to the Football League, a season which…

Baker is an active Conservative Party member and a local resident of Weetwood Ward, where he stood to be a Leeds City Councillor in the 2010 local elections but failed. He was also a member of Conservative candidate Julia Mulligan's campaign team in the 2010 General election.