I’m a former Premier League star – now I have a very different job as a mortgage advisor
NATHAN BAKER has swapped footy for the FTSE in his retirement.
The former Premier League defender made a career out of breaking up play and thwarting some of the best strikers in England.
Now he is banking on a new venture by brokering deals of his own - and ensuring house buyers don't get caught in any financial offside traps.
That is because Baker has qualified as a mortgage and insurance advisor.
The 32-year-old, who spent 13 years on the books with Aston Villa, was forced to cash out on football last year after five seasons with Bristol City.
But rather than going into coaching, he has opted for a complete change of scene with his friend’s Dudley-based company The Finance Family after taking his CeMAP exams this summer.
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Baker told SunSport: “I've always been interested in property and I’ve been able to build my own portfolio alongside football. So this career change is perfect for me and goes hand in hand.
“I studied hard in the lead-up to my exam as there was a lot to learn, especially the terminology and legislation, but thankfully I passed first time.
"It was obviously very challenging, especially as it was my first exam since school, but something I was determined to do.
“I started training at my friend’s financial company, now I’m ready to start taking on my own clients. I’m loving it.
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“As long as I'm still enjoying it and helping people, I'll carry on. This is just the start of my new career path as the idea would be to become a financial advisor where I can cover pensions, investments, mortgages and insurance.
“Retirement was always going to come at some point from football, mine unfortunately came a few years earlier than I expected. I’m just so glad I was able to plan and be ready for when that day came.”
Baker made 294 senior club appearances for Villa, Bristol City and on loan at Lincoln and Millwall across 13 seasons as a professional footballer.
He managed five goals - although none of those came from his 79 games in the Premier League.
The former England Under-21 star suffered a horror head injury playing for the Robins in November 2021.
He had to be taken off on a stretcher and the ongoing concussion forced his early retirement nine months later.
Away from football, Baker married his long-term partner, model and pilates instructor Catherine Hudson last year.
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He proposed after a skydive in Dubai in 2019 and the couple welcomed their first baby, son Jax, in June 2021.
Baker still loves to travel and has visited Dubai, California and Antigua with his wife and kid - but admits he is unlikely to have time to follow Aston Villa on their European tour this season as he balances fatherhood and finances.
The ex-defender, who cut off his flowing locks around the time of starting his new job, added: “It's difficult not playing football anymore, I do really miss it and seeing the lads on a daily basis.
“But then you see the other side to it, I have a family and my whole life ahead of me, it wasn’t worth the risk.
“Football has been a part of my life for so long so I’ll always follow it as a fan, especially Aston Villa and Bristol City.
“The injury was maybe down to my playing style, putting my head in places where most people wouldn't put their feet.
“I’m a competitive person, I always wanted to win the ball and was willing to put my body on the line. It was unfortunate, but it could have been a lot worse.
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“It took time to recover but I'm absolutely fine now and thankfully fit and healthy. The doctors' advice was not to go back to playing football.
“My family and health is more important now.”
