Leighton Baines

Leighton Baines (2009)

Leighton John Baines ( born December 11, 1984 in Kirkby ) is an English footballer who is currently in the first division club FC Everton under contract. After 16 appearances for the U-21 national team between 2004 and 2007 he was on 3 March 2010 his debut in the senior team.

Career

Clubs

Although Baines had already gained experience at Everton in his youth, Wigan Athletic offered him a better perspective and so the young winger joined on 1 August 2001 in the junior section of the " Latics ". First professional league experience he gained at third division in the 2002/03 season, when he played at the end of the promotion season six championship stakes. In the following years, the fast and offensively strong defensive talent conquered a permanent place in Wigan. In addition, relatively small Baines made ​​with the 1.70 -meter in the two years to 2005 in the second-rate Football League Championship with precise edges a good name and thereby contributed to the promotion to the Premier League at.

In February 2005, he had already extended his contract at Wigan, although he had been associated with well-known clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton. His Erstligadebüt he gave on August 14, 2005 ( 1st Round ) in the 0-1 defeat at home to Chelsea. In the English top Baines had little adjustment difficulties and confirmed with a further extension of his contract, the will to longer-term commitment. Besides a good 10th place in the table, he reached the final of the League Cup, which was, however, clearly lost with 0-4 against Manchester United. Against this club in the 1-3 home defeat he succeeded in the following season, on 14 October 2006 ( 8th Round ), also his first goal. While Wigan struggled in the fight to avoid relegation, matured Baines - not least because of his continual involvement in the U -21 - one of the best English players at his position.

Thus, there were growing during the summer of 2007 highlighted the transfer rumors and Baines has been linked with Newcastle United, Sunderland AFC and Everton; the latter announced on August 6, 2007 - after the obligation of Phil Jagielka and Steven Pienaar - the change from Baines for a transfer fee of five million pounds, in addition to a further million in the case of certain sporting positive developments in the new club. On 27 Jan 2014, Baines agreed on a new four -year contract with Everton.

Due to injury, missed a number of games Baines at Everton in the 2007/ 08 season and possessed with Nuno Valente and Joleon Lescott two competitors in the left -back posts. In the season 2008/ 09 he conquered a regular place and harmonized gets better with Pienaar used on the winger in front of him. He turned in the semifinals to the FA Cup a penalty in the penalty shootout against Manchester United, moved into the final and was defeated there by 1:2 against Chelsea.

National

Baines graduated from 2004 his first caps for the U- 21 team and wore as a scorer in the first playoff on 6 October 2006 against Germany to qualify for the European Championship in 2007, when in the three group matches and the semi-finals, where he 12 :13 - defeat on penalties to the Netherlands, was used.

With the sporty breakthrough at Everton 2008/ 09, he was appointed Fabio Capello first time in 2009 in the A-team of the "Three Lions ". His international debut he gave on 3 March 2010 in a 3-1 victory in the Test match against Egypt. In this encounter, he completed 90 minutes after the two competitors Ashley Cole ( injury) and Wayne Bridge (withdrawal from the national team ) for the left-back position (no longer) were available. For the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Baines was part of the provisional 30 -man squad, Capello preferred in the final 23 players overall tournament squad behind team regular Ashley Cole but Stephen Warnock as replacement players.