Former MK Dons chairman Winkelman pays tribute to 'one of our own' Baldock

Former chairman Pete Winkelman used George Baldock as evidence to parents of the pathway between the academy and MK Dons’ first-team.

The 31-year-old died on Wednesday at his home in Athens, Greece, leaving behind his wife and young son.

Following in the footsteps of his older brother Sam - the club’s first multi-million pound asset - George came through the academy in Milton Keynes, and through grit and determination, broke into the first-team to make more than 100 appearances for the club.

Winkelman, who sold the club to new owners earlier this summer, said he crossed paths regularly with Baldock family as they watched both Sam and George in action over the years, but he highlighted the younger brother in particular as the shining example of what it takes to make it in the professional game.

“I've used George so many times when I've spoken to parents at the academy,” said the former chairman. “He was the epitome of what a professional football was about.

“I think he was eight-years-old when he joined, Sam was in the Wimbledon academy even before we moved to Milton Keynes. I've been bumping into the Baldocks for that long. The club has an amazing relationship with the Baldocks, not just with George but with Sam and his other brother James, who is the doctor now at Oxford.

“One of the big reasons I wanted football here was to give local boys the opportunity, and they grabbed it with both hands.

“He spent so much time in the shadow of his older brother. Sam was a remarkable footballer, and a goal-scorer, but George always had that to live up to, and it never put him off. George achieved so much, it's just absolutely terrible. We're so proud of him.

“He's one of our own. I can't believe he's not ever going to come back here again. He would have had a career in football well-past playing because he lived football.”

Winkelman said he spoke with former Dons boss Karl Robinson - who handed Baldock his senior debut in 2011 - after news broke on Wednesday evening.

He added: “I spoke with Karl, and we had a good cry together. I remember him as a tenacious midfielder, Karl saw him as a right-back. He recognised he had so much to give, and that's what he went on to do - to become an established Premier League wing-back. Not many can do that, but George did.

“I want to send my sincerest, deepest regards to the family, and I hope they can find every piece of strength to help them through it.”