35 Facts About Leighton Baines

Leighton John Baines was born on 11 December 1984 and is an English former professional footballer who played as a left back.

Leighton Baines is currently the Professional Development Coach and U-18s head coach at Everton.

Leighton Baines joined Everton in 2007, helping them reach the 2009 FA Cup Final.

Leighton Baines played for England at under-21 and senior levels.

Leighton Baines was included in the England squads at UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Leighton Baines announced his retirement from football on 26 July 2020, going on to integrate into coaching.

Leighton Baines currently occupies a dual role at Everton, serving as the manager of Everton U18s and as a Professional Development Coach for the Everton Academy.

Leighton Baines signed a new contract with Wigan in February 2005 despite being linked to a number of Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton, and extended his contract again after impressive displays in his first season in the Premier League.

Leighton Baines did not play regularly in his first season, making just 29 appearances in all competitions, due to an injury and the good form of Phil Jagielka and Joseph Yobo at centre back which kept Joleon Lescott at left back.

Leighton Baines's contribution was rewarded with the club's Player of the Season, Players' Player of the Season, and Goal of the Season awards.

Leighton Baines contributed 11 assists throughout the season, 5th overall in the league, and was the league's highest assisting defender.

Leighton Baines reached 99 consecutive league matches before ending his season early due to injury.

When 2013's PFA Premier League Team of the Year was announced, Leighton Baines was again included, and he won Everton's Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season awards.

Leighton Baines was the only outfield player to have played in every minute of every Premier League match during the season.

Leighton Baines was the subject of multiple bids during the 2013 summer transfer window from Manchester United but all were rejected by Everton.

On 27 January 2014, Leighton Baines signed a four-year deal to extend his contract at Everton.

Leighton Baines scored three penalties during the season to take his career tally to 13, becoming the first player in Premier League history to have taken more than 10 and never missed one.

In January 2015, Leighton Baines made his 45th assist in the Premier League to overtake Graeme Le Saux as the defender with the most in the division's history.

Leighton Baines became the first defender to reach 50 Premier League assists on 15 April 2017.

Everton manager Ronald Koeman had reiterated Leighton Baines is Everton's first-choice penalty taker after he equalled the club's spot-kick record.

Leighton Baines scored the winner for Everton in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round first leg against Slovakian side Ruzomberok on 27 July 2017.

Leighton Baines made his debut for the England under-21s in a 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification away to Austria in September 2004 under Peter Taylor.

Leighton Baines played all four of England's matches in the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals.

Leighton Baines was selected in a provisional squad of 30 players for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but did not make the final squad of 23 players to be taken to South Africa, with Aston Villa left back Stephen Warnock, who had not played in the warm-up matches, taken in his place.

Leighton Baines made his competitive international debut on 4 June 2011, replacing the injured Ashley Cole in a Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland, assisting Ashley Young for England's equalising goal.

Leighton Baines was named in Roy Hodgson's squad for Euro 2012 in May, but did not feature in the tournament with Hodgson using Ashley Cole for all four of England's matches.

Leighton Baines stated that he would be "excited to give it a go".

Leighton Baines held the record for the most assists as a defender in the Premier League.

Leighton Baines has drawn praise in the media for his crossing, stamina, link up play, and ability to avoid injuries.

Former Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson stated that he believed that Leighton Baines would enter into a career in management after retirement from playing, predicting that he would one day take over as the manager of Everton in the future.

Furthermore, after Leighton Baines officially announced his retirement from playing, Danny Mills tipped him to go into coaching at Everton.

In September 2020, just two months after retiring from playing, Leighton Baines was appointed as professional development coach at Everton's academy set-up.

Leighton Baines was born and raised in Kirkby, Merseyside and was educated at St Joseph The Worker Catholic Primary School and All Saints' RC High School in Kirkby.

Leighton Baines began playing football at a local Liverpool primary school but, age 10, had trouble playing for a Sunday League team because he was shy.

Leighton Baines is a close friend of musician Miles Kane, and is himself a keen guitarist.