| Billy Baxter | |
| Fullname: | William Alexander Baxter |
| Birth Date: | 23 April 1939 |
| Birth Place: | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Death Place: | Dunfermline, Scotland |
| Position: | Right Half / Central Defender |
| Youthclubs1: | Broxburn Athletic |
| Years1: | 1960–1971 |
| Clubs1: | Ipswich Town |
| Caps1: | 409 |
| Goals1: | 21 |
| Years2: | 1971–1972 |
| Clubs2: | Hull City |
| Caps2: | 21 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 1972 |
| Clubs3: | → Watford (loan) |
| Caps3: | 11 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 1972–1973 |
| Clubs4: | Northampton Town |
| Caps4: | 41 |
| Goals4: | 4 |
| Years5: | 1973–1975 |
| Clubs5: | Nuneaton Borough |
| Caps5: | 64 |
| Goals5: | 2 |
| Totalcaps: | 482 |
| Totalgoals: | 25 |
| Manageryears1: | 1972–1973 |
| Managerclubs1: | Northampton Town |
William Alexander Baxter (23 April 1939 – 25 May 2009) was a Scottish professional footballer.
A native of Edinburgh, Baxter was signed by Alf Ramsey and joined Ipswich Town from Scottish amateur side Broxburn Athletic in 1960.[1] When he signed for the club he was stationed at Aldershot during his national service with the Royal Engineers. He made his debut in 1960, in a Christmas fixture against Ipswich's local rivals Norwich City.[2]
He was a regular in the Ipswich team than won the old Division 2 Championship in 1960–61 and Division 1 Championship in 1961–62. He later captained the team to the old Division 2 Championship in 1967–68. In total, Baxter played 459 games for Ipswich during an 11-year stay at Portman Road. However, after a falling-out with manager Bobby Robson, he was sold to Hull City in March 1971. This was an unfortunate end to a fine career with Ipswich as Baxter, who had played initially as a wing-half and later as a centre back was a consistent and loyal member of the squad for many years.[3]
After two largely unsuccessful seasons at Hull, Baxter became player-manager of Northampton Town in 1972, lasting one year in the job. He subsequently joined non-league Nuneaton Borough.
Baxter quit football returning to Scotland where he worked as an engineer for British Telecom.[4]
In his later years, Baxter had cancer. He had a leg amputated some time before his death, and succumbed to the disease at a Dunfermline hospital on 25 May 2009, aged 70.
Individual
Inducted 2009[5]