Alex Baptiste

Alex Baptiste
Personal information
Full nameAlexander Aaron John Baptiste[1][2]
Date of birth31 January 1986
Place of birthSutton-in-Ashfield, England
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[3]
Playing positionDefender
Club information
Current team
Blackburn Rovers
(on loan from Bolton Wanderers)
Number15
Youth career
?–2002Mansfield Town
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2002–2008Mansfield Town174(5)
2003–2004→ Tamworth (loan)4(0)
2004→ Burton Albion (loan)3(0)
2008–2013Blackpool170(8)
2013–Bolton Wanderers39(4)
2014–→ Blackburn Rovers (loan)32(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09:14, 5 April 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Alexander Aaron John "Alex" Baptiste (born 31 January 1986) is an English footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers on loan from Bolton Wanderers. He usually plays in central defence, but has also played at both full back positions.

Career

Mansfield Town

Born in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, and educated at All Saints RC School, Mansfield.[4] Baptiste came up through the youth team at Mansfield Town. He was originally a central midfielder before gradually dropping back into defence[5] and made his first-team debut aged 17 against Barnsley in April 2003.[6][7]

On 12 December 2003 he joined newly promoted Conference National side Tamworth on a one-month loan deal, making four league appearances, before returning to Mansfield on 12 January 2004. On 7 February he was sent out again on loan for a month, this time to Burton Albion, for whom he made three appearances.

Baptiste established himself as first-choice central defender for Mansfield Town towards the end of the 2003–04 season.[8] He was ever-present during the 2006–07 season, and by the end of the campaign had made over 150 appearances for Mansfield.[9] Baptiste signed a new three-year contract despite interest from Crewe Alexandra in the summer of 2007.[9] However, he missed three months of the 2007–08 season with a back injury.[10] After Mansfield Town were relegated to the Conference National at the end of the 2007–08 season, he requested a transfer, which was granted.[11] He made a total of 198 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring six goals.[12]

Blackpool

On 1 July 2008, Baptiste agreed a deal to join Championship club Blackpool. Speaking about the move, he described it as a "great opportunity and challenge".[13] He started the season as a regular in the Seasiders‍ '​ reserve team, and for the first few months of the season he was not named in the first-team squad. He made his first-team debut on 22 November 2008 against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux at right-back.[14] He scored his first goal for the Seasiders in a 1–1 draw with Ipswich Town at Portman Road on 14 February 2009.[15] Three days later he was named in the Football League's "Championship Team of the Week".[16]

Baptiste cemented his place in the starting line up in the latter stages of the 2008–09 season, playing either centre back or right back. On 20 January 2010, after 27 appearances and two goals in the 2009–10 season, Baptiste signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract until June 2013. He said of the new contract: "I am very pleased. I had a good chat with the gaffer and Thommo and the direction of the club is upwards and I want to be a part of it." Blackpool manager Ian Holloway expressed his belief that Baptiste can play in the Premier League: "Baps has played at left-back, right-back and centre-back and he has been different class. I believe he can play in the Premiership and I have told him that. I am working on the areas that he needs working on, but as a defender I don't think I have had a better one and I am delighted he has signed."[17]

On 14 August 2010 he scored as Blackpool marked their Premier League debut on the opening day of the 2010–11 season with a 4–0 win over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium. Baptiste scored the final goal of the game.[18] He was subsequently named in the Premier League "Team of the Week", alongside teammate Marlon Harewood.[19]

Baptiste played in the Championship playoff final against West Ham United in May 2012, which was won by West Ham 2–1.[20] After the match Baptiste was vocal in his criticism of West Ham's style of football saying “They just hoof it, and hope for the best”.[21]

Bolton Wanderers

In May 2013, Baptiste signed a three-year deal with fellow Championship side Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer that took effect once his Blackpool contract expired on 30 June 2013.[22] He made his debut for Bolton in their 1–1 draw with Lancashire rivals Burnley on 3 August 2013, operating in the right-back position.[23] He recorded his first goal for Wanderers in the same month by scoring a consolation in the 4–1 away defeat at Blackburn Rovers.[24] His first goal at the Reebok Stadium was Bolton's opener in their 2–2 draw against Derby County in an end to end game which saw Wanderers claim a share of the spoils.

Blackburn Rovers

Baptiste joined Blackburn on loan. He scored his first goal against Nottingham Forest. He scored his second goal for the club against Sheffield Wednesday.

Career statistics

As of 27 January 2013.
Club performance League Cup League Cup Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
England League FA Cup League Cup Total
2002–03Mansfield TownSecond Division40--40
2003–04Third Division1700000210
2003–04Tamworth (loan)Conference National 40000040
2003–04Burton Albion (loan)30000030
2004–05Mansfield TownLeague Two4112110462
2005–064113030481
2006–074633020533
2007–0825010-260
2008–09BlackpoolChampionship211--211
2009–103721030442
2010–11Premier League2110000211
2011–12BlackpoolChampionship4613000491
2012–132822010312
2013–14Bolton WanderersChampionship51002071
Career total 247910111027910
Notes

a. 3 league play-off appearances for Mansfield Town in 2004 (included in 2003–04 total)
b. 3 league play-off appearances for Blackpool in 2010 (included in 2009–10 total)
c. All Football League Trophy results are included in totals

Honours

Blackpool

References

  1. ↑ Hugman, Barry J. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 324. ISBN 1-85291-665-6.
  2. ↑ "search births indexes 1837–2006". Findmypast.com. Archived from the original on 3 August 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  3. ↑ "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  4. ↑ "Stagsnet Latest News – the definitive Stags news archive". Stagsnet.net. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "Making the most of an opportunity – Baptiste looking to keep up good form". Up The Pool (Blackpool: Blackpool F.C.). 2008–09 season (Blackpool vs Wolverhampton Wanderers): 34–37. 29 December 2008.
  6. ↑ "Alex Baptiste profile". Mansfield Town F.C. Archived from the original on 24 April 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  7. ↑ "Games played by Alex Baptiste in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  8. ↑ "Games played by Alex Baptiste in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "John-Baptiste pens Mansfield deal". BBC Sport. 3 July 2007. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  10. ↑ "John-Baptiste admits to poor form". BBC Sport. 15 May 2008. Archived from the original on 20 May 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
  11. ↑ "John-Baptiste to leave Stags". football.co.uk. 9 May 2008. Archived from the original on 14 June 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  12. ↑ "Alex Baptiste". Soccerbase. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
  13. ↑ "Blackpool complete Baptiste deal". BBC Sport. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  14. ↑ "Baptiste Handed Surprise Debut". Blackpool F.C. 22 November 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  15. ↑ "Ipswich vs Blackpool". Blackpool F.C. 14 February 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  16. ↑ "Team of the Week (17/02/2009)" (PDF). The Football League. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
  17. ↑ "Baps Pens New Deal". Blackpool: Blackpool F.C. 20 January 2010. Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  18. ↑ "Wigan 0–4 Blackpool". BBC Sport. 14 August 2010. Archived from the original on 14 August 2010. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  19. ↑ "Clubs". Premierleague.com. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  20. ↑ Fletcher, Paul (19 May 2012). "Blackpool 1–2 West Ham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  21. ↑ "BBC Sport – West Ham style slammed by Blackpool's Alex Baptiste". Bbc.co.uk. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  22. ↑ Marc Iles. "Wanderers beat the pack to land Baptiste". The Bolton News. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  23. ↑ "Burnley 1 Bolton 1". BBC Sport. 2013-08-03. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
  24. ↑ "Blackburn 4 Bolton 1". BBC Sport. 2013-08-31. Retrieved 2013-08-31.

External links