 Baxter playing forSheffield United in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jose Baxter[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1992-02-07)7 February 1992 (age 34) | ||
| Place of birth | Bootle,Merseyside, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2008 | Everton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2012 | Everton | 7 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | →Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 14 | (3) |
| 2012–2013 | Oldham Athletic | 43 | (15) |
| 2013–2016 | Sheffield United | 93 | (20) |
| 2017–2018 | Everton | 0 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Oldham Athletic | 29 | (4) |
| 2019 | Plymouth Argyle | 9 | (0) |
| 2020 | Memphis 901 | 8 | (1) |
| Total | 203 | (43) | |
| International career | |||
| 2006–2008 | England U16 | 8 | (3) |
| 2008–2009 | England U17 | 9 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2021–2025 | Everton Academy(assistant)[3] | ||
| 2025– | Malaysia(assistant)[4] | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Jose Baxter (born 7 February 1992) is an English former professionalfootballer who played as anattacking midfielder.
Born inBootle, Baxter began his career with his home town club ofEverton, where in 2008 he became thePremier League's then-second youngest ever starter at 16 years 191 days (Matthew Briggs ofFulham held the record – 16 years 68 days – from 2007 until it was surpassed in 2019 byHarvey Elliott).[5]
After having been on the fringes of the first team and spending time on loan atTranmere Rovers, he rejected a new contract in 2012 in order to find regular football elsewhere. He joinedOldham Athletic shortly afterwards, where he spent a successful season before being bought bySheffield United just under 12 months later.
After a three-year period inYorkshire interrupted by suspensions, he was released and had a spell without a club before Everton signed him again in 2017 to rebuild his career in their reserve squad.[6] He returned to Oldham in the summer of 2018. In July 2019, he signed forPlymouth Argyle, and left them in November 2019.[7]
Baxter represented England at bothunder-16 andunder-17 level.
Baxter joinedEverton as a six-year-old.[8][6] He remained as ayouth player until 2008 when he trained with the first-team squad on tours to Switzerland and the United States two months after leaving school.
Baxter made his professional début for the club on the opening day of the2008–09 season coming on as a 78th-minute substitute forNuno Valente in a home game againstBlackburn Rovers,[9] becoming Everton's youngest ever senior player in the process, aged 16 years and 191 days,[6] beating the record previously held by teammateJames Vaughan.
Baxter was named in the starting line up to playWest Bromwich Albion atThe Hawthorns, becoming the youngest Everton player ever to start a game,[10] and March 2009 he signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with Everton.[11] Baxter remained in the squad, making a number of substitute appearances in2009–10 season. He also played in theUEFA Europa League againstBATE Borisov atGoodison Park.
Baxter joinedTranmere Rovers on loan in September 2011 and went on to score on his debut againstPreston North End. The loan was extended several times until January 2012, when he was recalled by Everton.[12] Still on the fringes of the first team, Baxter rejected a new contract from Everton and was released at the end of the2011–12 season.[12]
Following his release from Everton, Baxter had a trial atCrystal Palace but did not earn a contract.[13] He subsequently signed forLeague One sideOldham Athletic in September 2012, agreeing a four-month contract.[14] He made his debut for the club the following day, scoring in a 2–2 draw versusNotts County.[15]
Playing and scoring regularly, Baxter's form drew interest from other league clubs but in January 2013 he signed a new2+1⁄2-year deal with Oldham.[16] Baxter started the2013–14 season as a first team regular, but a brace againstStevenage in a 4–3 opening day victory prompted renewed interest from other clubs in acquiring his services.
Baxter reunited with his former Everton youth managerDavid Weir when he signed forSheffield United for £500,000, agreeing a three-year deal.[17] On 7 September 2013, Baxter scored his first Sheffield United goal againstSouth Yorkshire rivalsRotherham United in a 3–1 defeat.[18] With the arrival ofNigel Clough as United's manager, Baxter eventually began to cement his place in the first team, scoring six goals in the process, and was nominated for theLeague One 'Player of the Month' award for December 2013.[19] He played in the semi-final of the2013–14 FA Cup atWembley Stadium and scored the opening goal, but opponentsHull City won the tie 5–3.[20]
On 7 December 2014, he converted two penalties in a 3–0 home victory againstPlymouth Argyle to send theBlades to the Third Round of theFA Cup.[21] On 10 February 2015, Baxter scored a brace in a 4–1 home victory overColchester United.[22]
On 16 May 2015, Baxter was suspended by Sheffield United after failing a drugs test.[23] In July, the FA handed him a five-month suspension (three of which suspended) for testing positive forecstasy, which he claimed was ingested in a spiked drink.[24] He was suspended by his club again in February 2016.[25] He was subsequently released in May 2016.[26][6]
On 27 January 2017, Baxter was handed a lifeline by former club Everton who offered him a 12-month contract which would begin when his year-long suspension from football ended on 1 July 2017. Despite not making an appearance for the first team, he played ten games forthe club's Under-23s over the course of the season, assisting two goals. He was released by Everton at the end of the 2017–18 season.[6]
On 30 May 2018, Baxter returned to Oldham Athletic five years after leaving the club; he signed a one-year contract with an option of a further year and was given the squad number eight, previously worn byOllie Banks. Baxter made his second debut forLatics in a pre-season game versusAshton United where he scored the second goal in a 3–1 victory.
On 25 July 2019, Baxter joinedPlymouth Argyle on a short-term deal following his release from Oldham.[27] Baxter made his debut as a substitute in Argyle's 3–0 victory overCrewe Alexandra on the first day of the 2019–20 season.[28] A calf injury sustained hindered Baxter's stint with the Pilgrims, with his contract terminated in November 2019[29] During his time with Plymouth Argyle Baxter was favourably received, with a notable performance againstSwindon Town.[30]
On 19 February 2020, Baxter joined American sideMemphis 901 FC, a member of the second-tierUSL Championship.[31]
He retired on 8 August 2021 at the age of 29.[32]
Baxter has represented England at bothU16 andU17 levels.[citation needed] He played in the first two games of the2009 Under 17 European Championships but missed the third after picking up two yellow cards.[citation needed]
After retiring as a player, Baxter returned to his former club to work as a coach as part of theEverton academy.[33] In May 2025, he joined theMalaysia national team as assistant coach.[34]
Having grown up on Merseyside, Baxter is a fan of local teamLiverpool.[35] In October 2009, Baxter was one of three men arrested inKirkby on suspicion of possession ofcannabis with intent to supply, and on suspicion of possessing counterfeit money.[36] He was subsequently released without charge.[12]
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Everton | 2008–09[37] | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2009–10[38] | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2010–11[39] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12[40] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
| Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 2011–12[40] | League One | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 15 | 3 |
| Oldham Athletic | 2012–13[41] | League One | 39 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 15 |
| 2013–14[42] | League One | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | |
| Total | 43 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 17 | ||
| Sheffield United | 2013–14[42] | League One | 35 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 45 | 8 |
| 2014–15[43] | League One | 34 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2[b] | 1 | 48 | 13 | |
| 2015–16[44] | League One | 24 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 2 | 28 | 7 | |
| Total | 93 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 121 | 28 | ||
| Everton | 2017–18[45] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Everton U21s | 2017–18[45] | — | — | — | 1[b] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Oldham Athletic | 2018–19[46] | League Two | 29 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 34 | 4 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 2019–20[47] | League Two | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1[b] | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| Memphis 901 | 2020[48] | USL Championship | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 203 | 43 | 24 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 256 | 54 | ||
England U-16
