Stephen Baxter (footballer)
<templatestyles src="Module:Infobox/styles.css"></templatestyles>
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 1 October 1965 | ||
Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||
Height | Script error: No such module "person height". | ||
Position(s) | Striker | ||
Team information | |||
Current team
|
Crusaders (manager) | ||
Youth career | |||
Glentoran | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1985–1987 | Ards | 43 | (21) |
1987–1993 | Linfield | 114 | (51) |
1993–1994 | Distillery | 25 | (6) |
1994–1998 | Crusaders | 108 | (40) |
1998–2000 | Glenavon | 48 | (19) |
2000–2002 | Crusaders | 58 | (23) |
2002 | Bangor | 0 | (0) |
Total | 396 | (160) | |
International career | |||
1981 | Northern Ireland U18 | 3 | (0) |
1987 | Irish League XI | 2 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
2005– | Crusaders | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Stephen Baxter (born 1 October 1965) is a football manager and ex-player from Northern Ireland; accessed 7 May 2014. He is the current manager of Crusaders, where he previously played.
Contents
Playing career
'Stanley' (as he would later be nicknamed after the Scottish comedian) started out as a player with Glentoran before signing for Ards in 1985. His goalscoring exploits caught the notice of giants Linfield and he signed for them in 1987, winning two Irish League championships, three Gold Cups and a League Cup. He scored 102 goals in 219 games for the Blues, of which 169 were starts.
Unable to hold down a regular starting place, however, he signed for Crusaders in 1994. Baxter became one of the key players of Crusaders' golden team of the 90's, again winning two Irish League championships, a Gold Cup and League Cup. In 1995/96, he was named in the Football Writers' Premier League Team of the Year, and in 1996/97 he was named as the Ulster Footballer of the Year.[1] He then moved to Glenavon for a successful period before returning to Seaview for a second two-year spell in 2000.[citation needed]
Baxter was memorable for his hat-trick in a relegation play-off against Lisburn Distillery, ensuring the Crues' survival. Baxter left Seaview a firm fan-favourite and legend status for a short spell at Bangor, where he coached briefly and played two cup games, before retiring from football completely and opening a sports shop in Newtownards. He played a total of 650 games in his career, and scored 303 goals.
In 2014-15 Baxter's men became the first in 14 years to bring the Gibson Cup back to Seaview.
Managerial statistics
Team | Nation | From | To | Record | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | W | D | L | F | A | Gd | Win % | ||||
Crusaders | Northern Ireland | 14 February 2005 | Present | 502 | 276 | 88 | 138 | 963 | 657 | +306 | 54.98 |
Total | 502 | 276 | 88 | 138 | 963 | 657 | +306 | 54.98 |
- As of 26 April 2015
Honours
As a player
Linfield
- Irish League (2): 1988–89, 1992–93
- Gold Cup (3): 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90
- Irish League Cup (1): 1991–92
Lisburn Distillery
- Gold Cup (1): 1993–94
Crusaders
- Irish League (2): 1994–95, 1996–97
- Gold Cup (1): 1995–96
- Irish League Cup (1): 1996–97
Glenavon
- Mid-Ulster Cup (1): 1998–99
Individual
- NI Football Writers' Premier League Team of the Year: 1995–96
- Ulster Footballer of the Year: 1996–97
- NI Football Writers’ Player of the Year: 1996–97
As a manager
Crusaders
- NIFL Premiership (1): 2014–15
- Irish Cup (1): 2008–09
- Setanta Cup (1): 2012
- Irish League Cup (1): 2011–12
- County Antrim Shield (1): 2009–10
- IFA Intermediate League (1): 2005–06
- IFA Intermediate League Cup (1): 2005–06
- Steel & Sons Cup (1): 2005–06
References
- ↑ M. Brodie (ed.), Northern Ireland Soccer Yearbook 2009-2010, p. 102. Belfast: Ulster Tatler Publications.
- Pages using infobox football biography with height issues
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- Articles with unsourced statements from May 2014
- 1965 births
- Living people
- Ards F.C. players
- Bangor F.C. players
- Crusaders F.C. players
- Glentoran F.C. players
- NIFL Premiership players
- Linfield F.C. players
- Association footballers from Northern Ireland
- Ulster Footballers of the Year
- Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association Players of the Year
- Sportspeople from Belfast
- People from Newtownards
- Crusaders F.C. managers