Members News: Carl Baker Is Our Wednesday Night ‘Special’ For Sky Blues’ Clash With Tigers

Bakes in the Sky Blue

CCFPA is pleased to announce that our ‘special guest’ for CCFC’s  home game at the CBS Arena tomorrow night, 24th April  will be popular ex Sky Blue Carl Baker. Our wholehearted former Sky Blues ‘skipper’ will be meeting fans and former colleagues at the Sky Blues crucial Championship game against fellow play-off aspirants Hull City (k.o. 7.45pm). He did the same job for us earlier this season, also on a Wednesday night, in mid December when the Sky Blues drew 1-1 with Southampton. Mark Robins men will hope to improve on that result to keep alive the possibility of a top six finish against the Tigers and bounce back from that gutting last gasp Wembley defeat on penalties to Manchester United in the F.A.Cup Semi Final. Carl, who was with us at Wembley (not for the first time) last Sunday afternoon, will want to see the Sky Blues resurrect the fantastic team spirit they showed in clawing back a three goal deficit to the Premier League team, only to have VAR cruelly snatch away a last minute ‘winner’ in extra time.

Carl and his family at Wembley on Sunday

The Merseysider now runs his own popular ‘Carl Baker Football Academy‘  locally and has also featured for local neighbours Nuneaton Borough for both the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons after his second short term spell with CCFC from March 2018 was still-born when a recurrent injury received whilst training for a season with Indian SL side ATK (Atletico de Kolkata) prevented any appearances there or for the Sky Blues. On leaving the Borough in January 2019 ‘Bakes’ joined Brackley Town for that season and for 2021-22 also got games (as Assistant Manager) for Telford United. He still can pull his boots on and has played and scored at the age of forty in 2023-24 for NPL Midland Division side Quorn FC!

Carl spent just over four and a half years with the Sky Blues in his first spell here making 182 appearances in all competitions and scoring 28 goals, having previously played for both Southport and Morecambe and joined Coventry City from Stockport in January 2010. He moved from the Ricoh to MK Dons in September 2014 and contributed 15 goals in his 72 appearances for the Dons, helping them to promotion before moving to Portsmouth for 2016-17 where he was a team-mate of another popular former Sky Blue skipper (& fellow CCFPA member) Michael Doyle (and another promotion was achieved).

Carl Baker & Andy Blair (with Billy Bell) show off their new caps at a previous Golf Day

During his first spell with CCFC he became one of our most popular and committed players and has always been a huge supporter of CCFPA, for example, entering a team and playing in more than one Golf Day. Carl will be remembered for his skill on the ball and wholehearted commitment to the Sky Blues team, Club and community.

Carl raises considerable funds for charity particularly leukaemia and lymphoma research and continues to follow the Sky Blues fortunes, attending games at the Ricoh and elsewhere when his commitments permit. He is no stranger to being a match-day special, has attended our Legends Days and also featured from time to time in the Sky Blue Legends XI.

CCFPA’s Sarah-Jane Morris with Carl Baker celebrating CCFC’s Checkatrade win at Wembley in 2017

Look out for Carl around the supporters lounges in the CBS Arena main stands prior to kick-off where he will be publicly chatting to club host and fellow CCFPA member Brian ‘Harry’Roberts and meeting Sky Blue fans and other former colleagues. We also expect our member, club Legend, former Sky Blue ‘keeper and coach Steve Ogrizovic to be doing his usual job in the CBS Press Box (as he aso did at Wembley) as live matchday analyst for the BBC CWR commentary team. CCFPA Committee members Jim Brown (chairman) and Mike Young will also have their usual slots in the club’s excellent match-day magazine, PUSB.

Thanks to former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson you can see some of Carl’s Sky Blue highlights (with a nice Two Tone Sky Blue ska backing) by clicking on the image below:-