Dave Walton
Encyclopedia
David Walton is a retired English
footballer
who is remember for his exploits at and where he made over 100 league appearances for both clubs.
and after two years in the team youth and reserve sides he was transferred to Shropshire
club on his first of two spells at the club. The Englishman enjoyed three years at Gay Meadow
making over 100 appearances, scoring twelve goals in all competitions and achieving a Third Division title win with the club during his first year.
In 1997, Walton was signed by for £500,000, making him the most expensive player in the Railwaymen's history only for it to be broken a year later when Rodney Jack
was signed for £650,000 from . The defender spent six seasons at the club, the longest time he had spent at a club in his career, where he made over 150 league appearances for the south Cheshire
club despite a number of injuries. In his last season at the club, Walton helped Crewe to the runners-up spot and promotion in Division Two after making 41 league appearances.
Manager Dario Gradi
made his feelings clear that he wished to keep Walton at the club and offered him a new contract. The defender rejected and instead signed a two year deal with . However, an injury during pre–season left the Englishman out until October where he made his début in a 2-1 defeat at . Walton failed to establish himself in George Burley
's first team and was soon loaned out to where he made seven league appearances.
After a year at Pride Park
, the defender had his contract cancelled by mutual consent. He was soon picked up by his old club Shrewsbury. He added a further 38 league appearances and helped his side survive relegation from the football league. At the start of the 2005–06 season, he was given the role of club captain. Unfortunately, Walton's campaign of marred by injuries and in December 2005 he was forced to retire after sustaining a knee problem.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who is remember for his exploits at and where he made over 100 league appearances for both clubs.
Club career
Walton began his footballing career with his local North East club Ashlington. After a year at the club, he was offered his first professional contract by at the age of eighteen. He failed to break into the first team at Bramall LaneBramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
and after two years in the team youth and reserve sides he was transferred to Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
club on his first of two spells at the club. The Englishman enjoyed three years at Gay Meadow
Gay Meadow
The Gay Meadow is the former home ground of Shrewsbury Town FC, a football club in England. It was situated just outside the town centre of Shrewsbury, on the banks of the River Severn and it opened in August 1910....
making over 100 appearances, scoring twelve goals in all competitions and achieving a Third Division title win with the club during his first year.
In 1997, Walton was signed by for £500,000, making him the most expensive player in the Railwaymen's history only for it to be broken a year later when Rodney Jack
Rodney Jack
Rodney Jack is a professional football player from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. He is best known for his spells with Torquay United and Crewe Alexandra and also his long-term friendship with singer/songwriter Ash Cherrington...
was signed for £650,000 from . The defender spent six seasons at the club, the longest time he had spent at a club in his career, where he made over 150 league appearances for the south Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
club despite a number of injuries. In his last season at the club, Walton helped Crewe to the runners-up spot and promotion in Division Two after making 41 league appearances.
Manager Dario Gradi
Dario Gradi
Dario Gradi MBE is an Italian-born English football manager and former player, who was serving as manager of the Crewe Alexandra F.C. Academy. He is a former manager of Crewe Alexandra, with whom he has been associated for almost thirty years.Gradi is notable for his 24-year first spell as manager...
made his feelings clear that he wished to keep Walton at the club and offered him a new contract. The defender rejected and instead signed a two year deal with . However, an injury during pre–season left the Englishman out until October where he made his début in a 2-1 defeat at . Walton failed to establish himself in George Burley
George Burley
George Elder Burley is a Scottish football manager and former player and manager, formerly the manager of Crystal Palace Football Club. Burley had a professional career spanning 21 years as a player making 628 appearances and earning 11 Scotland caps...
's first team and was soon loaned out to where he made seven league appearances.
After a year at Pride Park
Pride Park Stadium
Pride Park Stadium is an all-seater football stadium located on the Pride Park business park on the outskirts of Derby, England. It is the current home of Football League Championship club Derby County, who moved to the stadium from the Baseball Ground upon its opening in 1997...
, the defender had his contract cancelled by mutual consent. He was soon picked up by his old club Shrewsbury. He added a further 38 league appearances and helped his side survive relegation from the football league. At the start of the 2005–06 season, he was given the role of club captain. Unfortunately, Walton's campaign of marred by injuries and in December 2005 he was forced to retire after sustaining a knee problem.
Shrewsbury Town
- Winners
- 1993–19941993-94 in English footballThe 1993-1994 season was the 114th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:From the start of this season, the FA Premier League would be sponsored by Carling Breweries - an association which would last for eight years...
Football League Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
- 1993–1994
- Runner–up
- 1995–19961995-96 in English football- Premiership :Newcastle United were 12 points clear at the top of Manchester United, but Alex Ferguson's relatively young and inexperienced side overhauled them during the second half of the season to win the title....
Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
- 1995–1996
Crewe Alexandra
- Runner–up
- 2002–2003 Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
- 2002–2003 Football League Second Division