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Baker happy to be staying at Town
TOM Baker is looking forward to a successful season with Halifax Town after becoming the first of last term's squad to agree a new deal with the club.
The popular midfielder was one of the successes for the Shaymen on the field last term, sweeping the board in the end of season awards.
He put pen to paper on a new one-year deal last week and knows that it is going to be a big year for the Shaymen with promotion from the Unibond One North essential.
"Last year was important and a lot of people will have seen it as a disaster that we didn't even get into the play-offs," said Baker who skippered the side in the closing weeks of the campaign.
"But it was the first year for the club and everyone was feeling their way into it.
"Next season is massive because everybody knows that we need to get promoted.
"And that was the reason I wanted to stay, because I want to be part of the club's success."
Baker said after the final game of last season at Chorley that he wanted to stay at Halifax, although at that stage it was difficult for the players as no one knew who Jim Vince's permanent successor would be.
Once he met new boss Neil Aspin, he said he had no hesitation in signing a new deal.
"He has got a great background in the game and has played at a high level," said Baker.
"Speaking to him reaffirmed the fact that I wanted to stay.
"I said at the end of last season that I was not thinking about going anywhere else, but you never know what is going to happen.
"Once I spoke to the new manager I was very happy to stay for another season."
The club is expected to confirm more signings once Aspin returns from his holidays.
But they have already announced that Ashley Stott will not be at the club next season having rejoined Bangor City in the League of Wales for a 'nominal fee'.
Dimitar Berbatov has no intention of quitting Manchester United.
Berbatov did not make the impact most United fans were expecting following his club record 30.75million arrival from Tottenham last summer.
That led to increased speculation that Ferguson might look to cut his losses and accept, like Juan Sebastian Veron, the player's style was not in keeping with the rest of United's make-up.
However, Berbatov's agent Emil Dantchev confirmied his commitment to the Old Trafford cause.
"I want to declare that Dimitar will play at Manchester United next season," Dantchev said.
"There is no desire from the management for any separation.
"He will stay and we hope that he will win what he missed out on this year."
If Berbatov is set to stay, it looks increasingly likely Carlos Tevez will be leaving, quite possibly for Manchester City.
United chief executive David Gill was intending to have one final go at talking the Tevez camp into accepting their offer for a player, whose two-year loan has come to an end
Speculation suggested Tevez had opted to join City, although there has been no confirmation from any party.
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Weather for Halifax
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
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Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
