BAKER’S EARNED HIS CORN
DEPARTING Harrow Borough boss Steve Baker will never forget the feeling of taking his side to Portsmouth in the FA Cup first round proper.
“You never know, if we’d had a decent ref on the day it might have been a different story,” he half jokes, recalling their narrow 1-0 defeat to the League One side last season.
Baker is standing down as boss of the Southern Premier South side at the end of this season.
The final game against Yate Town will be his 501st in charge of the Boro, who are fighting relegation, just a few days after he reaches the 500 milestone in the Middlesex Senior Cup final against Hayes & Yeading United.
“It’s the right time for me and it’s the right time for the club as well,” Baker says. “The club have been fantastic for me – a club that will always be close to my heart.
“I know it’s a bit cheesy but I am so grateful to everyone. The chairman, Peter Rogers, has been different class to work with from day one. As a club, they’re a really nice group of people who do everything they can.
“But I always felt this season might be the hardest and the one where we struggled. Every year we’ve had to rebuild the side but, this year, we lost so many players in the summer along with some key staff. It’s been the hardest season we’ve ever had at Step 3.
“We’ve been unlucky. I don’t want to bleat on because every manager is unlucky when they’re doing badly. But the list of injuries and unavailable players we’ve had has probably been more than all the other years put together.
“So that, along with building a new squad in a Step 3 league that has got stronger every year we’ve been in it, made me feel it could be a step too far.
“On the flipside, I feel the club has probably punched above its weight in my time and even before. It catches up at the top level so it will at Step 3.”
Baker admits the unique demands of Non-League management feel even tougher at a club like Harrow where everyone has to muck in. But he’s not looking to put his feet up when he does leave.
Challenge
“I am certainly not looking for a break from football,” he says. “I’ve worked too hard to walk away from it. What I’d love to do – I’m not saying I will get it – is take on a fresh challenge.
“I want to work to the highest level I can. I’d like to think that would be at Step 3. You never know, a Step 2 opportunity might come up or it might be the right club at Step 4.
“If I didn’t get another manager’s job I would love to coach. I love football and want to stay involved. I’d like to think with the experience and amount of games I’ve got – and certain things we’ve done at the club over the years – I’d be a decent fit.”
With previous spells at Egham, Walton & Hersham and Chipstead, the 48-year-old has around 750 games under his belt. And there are two that stand-out.
“Two of my best memories will be the FA Cup first round games,” Baker says. “The first away to Northampton was great but, because of my age and lack of experience, I probably didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have.
“But the best moment ever will be going out at Fratton Park in front of 8,500. I will never forget the moment we drew Portsmouth sitting at home watching on the telly. The whole thing was surreal but it was an experience to remember forever.
“I’m sure the supporters, who have been brilliant with me, would say the same. We don’t get massive crowds but they’re what I call proper supporters. They’re with you when you’re doing well but they also get behind you when you’re not doing well.
“We’re not done and dusted yet. We’ve got league games left and a cup final.”