Everton said I was better than Rooney, but I’ve never regretted walking out ... Now Sheffield United’s Jose Baxter will play in an FA Cup semi-final
There are plenty who answer to the name Jose in today’s multicultural English game, but not that many who do it in a broad Scouse accent.
Bootle-born Jose Baxter does but, then again, he is used to raising eyebrows after being hailed as an even better 16-year-old than Wayne Rooney, refusing a contract offer from David Moyes while still in his teens and nearly quitting in despair soon after.
He never bought into the idea he was as good as Rooney, let alone better, but he did fervently believe he had more to offer than a support role at Goodison Park when Moyes sat him down and asked him to extend his stay.
Cup chance: Jose Baxter is relishing the chance to play at Wembley for Sheffield United
Walking away was a bold gamble and it looked like backfiring spectacularly when the first eight Saturday afternoons of the following season were spent watching results flash up on TV while slumped on the settee at his parents’ home.
He was at his lowest ebb and he doubts he would have climbed up without some sound psychology from a boxing coach called Cracker and a chance phone call from his old Everton reserves boss, Alan Stubbs.
One was constantly in his ear, coaxing him to stay fit at a Liverpool gym, the other called on a favour to land him a short-term contract at Oldham.
Baxter seized it so well that most Sheffield United fans will look to him for inspiration when they take on Hull City in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. He is determined not to disappoint.
‘I nearly dropped the paper when I read that Ray Hall at Everton thought I was better at 16 than Rooney,’ he said. ‘Ray was academy director so must have seen something, but I never thought I was in that bracket. I mean, Rooney was scoring hat-tricks for Manchester United at the time. I wasn’t at that level.
Dropping down: Baxter is plying his trade in League One with Sheffield United
‘But, like Wayne, I got into Everton’s first team at 16. I was the youngest ever to do it (16 years 191 days), and I genuinely thought that was my stage. I was there for good, no-one was going to shift me.
‘But Everton are massive and the next thing I knew, they were spending £15million on Marouane Fellaini. Mikel Arteta was already there, then Louis Saha arrived — all attacking players who were going to push me down the pecking order.
‘I was just coming to terms with that when David Moyes called me into his office, told me the club were offering me a new two-year deal and that I should go away and enjoy my summer then sign it. But I knew I wasn’t going to. I wanted to be playing. I was nudging 20 and I didn’t want to be sitting on the bench for Everton again, thinking, “Am I going backwards here?”
Young star: Wayne Rooney was considered special at Everton - but Baxter was thought to be better
Starting out: Baxter with David Moyes at Everton
‘I went to Crystal Palace and after speaking to their manager Dougie Freedman, I went on holiday knowing there was a contract waiting to be signed on my return. But something happened. I don’t know whether it was financial, but it never materialised. I ended up back at my parents’ home and for two months my Saturday afternoons were spent on the couch, watching Soccer Saturday.
‘It was the low point of my life and I remember turning to my mum one day and saying, “I can’t hack this, I’m hanging my boots up”. But I was going to a local gym and my pal Cracker, Michael McNally, soon put me right. He not only kept me ticking over fitness-wise, he kept geeing me up by saying, “Make sure you stay in shape and you’ll get your chance, you’re too good not to”.
‘Next thing I knew, Stubbsy was on the phone, saying, “What’s this about quitting and not having a club? I’m not having that. Leave it with me and I’ll get back to you”.
‘He had a word with (former Everton keeper) Paul Gerrard at Oldham and in no time Paul Dickov was offering me a contract.
‘It was only for three or four months initially and I was on buttons, but I was made up. I was so grateful to Cracker for keeping my spirits up and Stubbsy for effectively saving my career. Without his intervention, I don’t know what I’d have done - thrown myself off a cliff, probably.
‘All I’ve ever known is football and even when I look back now, I have absolutely no idea what else I could have done to earn a living.
‘But that short-term contract soon became a two-and-a-half-year one and I’ve never looked back. I’m 22 and I’ve got nearly 100 games under my belt.’
Baxter, now at Sheffield United, added: ‘How many players can say they’ve won 10 games on the bounce, like we have this season? How many have played in a Cup semi-final? I’ve been playing in front of 18,000 at Bramall Lane and there’ll be 80,000 at Wembley.
Big chance: Baxter and Sheffield United have knocked out Premier League teams including Villa and Fulham
Familiar face: Baxter came up against former club Oldham during his Oldham days
Fan favourte: Baxter was a hit with the Oldham fans
‘No, I’ve no regrets about leaving Everton, and stepping out at Wembley on Sunday will be vindication of it. A lot of mates will be there, including Cracker. He’s a top lad and apart from helping me train, he does the same with Jamie Carragher, boxing and sparring in the ring, as well as fitness stuff.
‘Carra is there virtually every day now he has retired and he’s a bit useful with the gloves on.
In the gym: Baxter often sees former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher in the boxing gym
Eyes on the prize: Baxter is dreaming of lifting the FA Cup
‘I think of that and smile whenever I see him on Sky Sports. In fact, I’d advise Gary Neville to go a bit easy with the Scouse jokes.’
And the Christian name for a lad born and raised in Bootle? ‘My family had a shoe company and we used to get the leather from Spain,’ he said.
‘We got close to the family across there and the main bloke’s name was Jose. My mum really liked it and my grandad was called Joseph, so that was it — I was Jose.’
