Alex Baptiste

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Alex Baptiste
Personal information
Full name Alexander Aaron John Baptiste[1]
Date of birth (1986-01-31) 31 January 1986 (age 38)[1]
Place of birth Sutton-in-Ashfield, England
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Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Middlesbrough
Number 15
Youth career
0000–2002 Mansfield Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2008 Mansfield Town 174 (5)
2003–2004 → Tamworth (loan) 4 (0)
2004 → Burton Albion (loan) 3 (0)
2008–2013 Blackpool 170 (8)
2013–2015 Bolton Wanderers 39 (4)
2014–2015 → Blackburn Rovers (loan) 32 (3)
2015– Middlesbrough 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:14, 5 April 2015 (UTC)

Alexander Aaron John "Alex" Baptiste (born 31 January 1986) is an English professional footballer who plays for Championship club Middlesbrough. He usually plays in central defence, but has also played at both full back positions.

Career

Mansfield Town

Born in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire,[1] Baptiste came up through the youth team at Mansfield Town. He was originally a central midfielder before gradually dropping back into defence[3] and made his first-team debut aged 17 against Barnsley in April 2003.[4][5]

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.[6] He was ever-present during the 2006–07 season, and by the end of the campaign had made over 150 appearances for Mansfield.[7] Baptiste signed a new three-year contract despite interest from Crewe Alexandra in the summer of 2007.[7] However, he missed three months of the 2007–08 season with a back injury.[8] After Mansfield Town were relegated to the Conference National at the end of the 2007–08 season, he requested a transfer, which was granted.[9] He made a total of 198 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring six goals.[10]

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".[11] 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.[12] He scored his first goal for the Seasiders in a 1–1 draw with Ipswich Town at Portman Road on 14 February 2009.[13] Three days later he was named in the Football League's "Championship Team of the Week".[14]

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."[15]

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.[16] He was subsequently named in the Premier League "Team of the Week", alongside teammate Marlon Harewood.[17]

Baptiste played in the Championship playoff final against West Ham United in May 2012, which was won by West Ham 2–1.[18] 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”.[19]

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.[20] 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.[21] He recorded his first goal for Wanderers in the same month by scoring a consolation in the 4–1 away defeat at Blackburn Rovers.[22] 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.

Middlesbrough

On 6 July 2015, Baptiste joined Middlesbrough.[23] On Saturday July 11, Baptiste suffered a suspected double leg fracture, 20 minutes into a pre season match against York City.

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
2002–03 Mansfield Town Second Division 4 0 - - 4 0
2003–04 Third Division 17 0 0 0 0 0 21 0
2003–04 Tamworth (loan) Conference National 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Burton Albion (loan) 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
2004–05 Mansfield Town League Two 41 1 2 1 1 0 46 2
2005–06 41 1 3 0 3 0 48 1
2006–07 46 3 3 0 2 0 53 3
2007–08 25 0 1 0 - 26 0
2008–09 Blackpool Championship 21 1 - - 21 1
2009–10 37 2 1 0 3 0 44 2
2010–11 Premier League 21 1 0 0 0 0 21 1
2011–12 Blackpool Championship 46 1 3 0 0 0 49 1
2012–13 28 2 2 0 1 0 31 2
2013–14 Bolton Wanderers 5 1 0 0 2 0 7 1
Career total 247 9 10 1 11 0 279 10
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

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External links

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