Richie Baker

Richie Baker (born April 17, 1980 in Dublin, Republic of Ireland) is an Irish footballer currently playing for League of Ireland Premier Division club Bray Wanderers. Baker primarily plays a right-sided winger.

Career

Richie, who served his footballing apprenticeship with junior club Stella Maris, is the brother of Shamrock Rovers striker Dessie Baker, alongside whom he made numerous appearances for Shelbourne in the late nineties and early noughties. Richie made his Shelbourne debut at the age of 18 against Shamrock Rovers in August 1998. During this period, Baker was an important part of the Irish national team youth teams, playing for the U-18's, U-20's, and U-21's.

He represented his country at the UEFA U-19 Championship in Sweden in 1999 where he won a bronze medal .

The highlight of Baker's career to date was arguably his 83rd minute free-kick which earned Shelbourne a 1-0 victory away to Sloga Jugomagnat of the Republic of Macedonia in a Champions League qualifying match on July 12, 2000. This represented the first away victory achieved by an Irish side in European competition for almost two decades. Shels won the tie 2-1 but were eliminated by Norwegian champions Rosenborg in the second qualifying round.

Richie won both the League of Ireland championship and the FAI Cup with Shels in 1999/2000 and three further league titles with them in 2001/02, 2003, and 2006. He spent the 2004 season with the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer →...
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