Frankie Baker Joins Tonbridge Permanently After Six-Goal Loan
frankie baker has signed permanently for Tonbridge after a loan spell that produced six goals in 24 appearances at Longmead last season. The 20-year-old has ended an 11-year association with Millwall and returns with a clear record for the club that already knew what it was getting.
Alan Dunne and Baker
Alan Dunne called Baker the only choice for Tonbridge and said the striker wanted to stay because he thoroughly enjoyed his time there. Dunne added that Baker is young, hungry, and only going to get better, which is exactly why the club moved to make the deal permanent rather than wait for another loan.
“I’m absolutely delighted that Frankie’s staying with us,” Dunne said. “We were his only choice.” He also said Baker “wants to learn and wants to get better” and has “all the attributes to play at the top level.”
Longmead Return
Baker’s numbers from last season explain the move. Six goals in 24 appearances gave Tonbridge a striker who had already settled in at Longmead, and that return came after he spent 11 years at Millwall, joining aged nine and progressing through the age groups there.
He was also part of Millwall’s under-18 side that reached the FA Youth Cup semi-finals two years ago, a reminder that Tonbridge are not only buying last season’s output but a player who has been developing inside a professional academy since childhood. Tonbridge had already added goalkeeper Nathan Harness on Wednesday, making Baker their second summer signing.
Baker’s Next Chapter
“I’m very excited to be signing for Angels and starting this next chapter in my career,” Baker said after the move. He added that he is grateful for the chance to join “such a hardworking team” and is ready to give his “absolute all” on the pitch.
For Tonbridge, the practical gain is simple: a 20-year-old striker they have already seen score in their shirt, now secured on a permanent deal. For Baker, the return to Longmead comes with a route to more minutes, more goals, and a place he says feels right for the next stage of his career.
