George Bakewell (13 May 1864 – 1928) was an English

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...

who played in

the Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...

for Derby County and Notts County. George Bakewell started his playing career at

Derby Midland Derby railway station (, also known as Derby Midland) is a main line railway station serving the city of Derby in Derbyshire, England. Owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Railway, the station is also used by CrossCountry servic ...

in 1883, just two years after the club was formed. In season 1883–84 Derby Midland made the third round of the FA Cup, the club's greatest achievement.

1883–84 FA Cup The 1883–84 Football Association Challenge Cup was the 13th staging of the FA Cup, England's oldest football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word '' ...

There is no record of whether Bakewell played in the FA Cup ties in 1883–84 for Derby Midland. George Bakewell, described by contemporaries as a brilliant outside-right, was only the second player signed by Derby County after its formation in 1884. Bakewell was signed from local club Derby Midland and in signing one of Derby Midland' best players this started a pattern of talent poaching that was resented over the years. George Bakewell was "wafer-thin and fast". George Bakewell made his League debut on 8 September 1888, playing as a winger, at Pike's Lane, the then home of

Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers Football Club () is a professional football club based in Horwich, Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in . The club played at Burnden Park for 102 years from 1895 after moving from their original home at Pike's ...

. Derby County defeated the home team 6–3. George Bakewell also scored his debut League goal in this match, in fact, scoring twice. George Bakewell scored the first and second of Derby County' six goals thus securing the permanent honour of being the first Derby County player to score a League goal. George Bakewell appeared in 16 of the 22 League matches played by Derby County in season 1888–89 and scored six goals. As a winger/wing-half (16 appearances) he played in a midfield that achieved big (three–League–goals–or–more) wins on two separate occasions. Of his six League goals two came in one match. Although Derby County had had a poor season Bakewell was retained to play alongside the more experienced professionals being brought in during the close season in 1889. Bakewell stayed with Derby County for three seasons leaving in 1891. He played 49 games and scored 9 goals. He also played 5 FA Cup ties and scored once. He signed for Notts County in 1891 but only played five times and scored once. He retired from football and became a baker.

References

1864 births 1928 deaths English men's footballers Derby Midland F.C. players Derby County F.C. players Notts County F.C. players English Football League players Footballers from Derby Men's association football wingers {{England-footy-winger-1860s-stub