Mark Walters
Encyclopedia
Mark Everton Walters is a retired professional footballer
from Birmingham
, England
.
on leaving school in the summer of 1980, turning the professional a year later - just after Villa's Football League First Division
title triumph - and made his competitive debut on 28 April 1982 in a 4-1 league defeat at Leeds United
, two months after the departure of manager Ron Saunders
- who had given Walters his first professional contract - and the promotion of assistant Tony Barton
to the manager's seat. Walters was not included in Villa's squad for the final
of the European Cup on 26 May 1982, which they won 1-0 against Bayern Munich, the West German
champions.
Walters, still only 18, made 22 league appearances in the 1982-83
campaign as Villa finished sixth. He scored once that season. He was firmly established as a regular player in the 1983-84 season
, appearing 37 times in the league and scoring eight goals, though Villa had a disappointing season and finished 10th, with Tony Barton being sacked at the end of the season and replaced by Graham Turner
.
Walters, now highly rated as one of the country's most promising young players, remained in favour under Graham Turner, but Villa were in deep trouble throughout the 1985-86 season
, finishing 16th and only avoiding relegation thanks to a late run of good form.
Walters was restricted to 21 league games due to injury problems in 1986-87
as Villa were relegated in bottom place. Turner had been sacked in September and replaced by Billy McNeill
, who in turn lost his job after relegation to be succeeded by Graham Taylor
.
Walters appeared in the first 24 games of Villa's ultimately successful quest to regain First Division status
, scoring seven goals, but his talent was attracting attention from bigger clubs.
an competition, teams such as Rangers, who were managed by former Liverpool star Graeme Souness
, were finding it easier to attract English players and sign internationals such as Terry Butcher
, Trevor Steven
, Gary Stevens
, Chris Woods
and Ray Wilkins
with Walters becoming one of these players on New Years Eve 1987.
He has been referred to as the first black player to sign for Rangers
. However, Walter Tull
signed for Rangers during the First World War but was killed in the conflict before he could play.
Walters made his Rangers debut on 2 January 1988 in the Old Firm
derby match with Celtic at Parkhead
, a game which Rangers lost 2–0. A large amount of abuse came from Celtic fans, with bananas requiring to be cleared from the pitch and monkey noises coming from the Celtic fans' main area of the stadium known as "The Jungle". Some Celtic fans also dressed up in fancy dress monkey suits, whilst a fruit stand near the ground was reported to have sold out of bananas. Meanwhile, during the same game, in defence of Walters, Rangers' fans, with an unconscious racism, sang "I'd rather be a darkie than a Tim (Scots-Irish catholic)". Although Celtic slammed the perpetrators, the Scottish Football Association remained silent. Rangers also banned one of their own season ticket holders of racist abuse aimed at Walters. Walters himself later stated that his worst experience in Scotland was at Heart of Midlothian's
Tynecastle, where the abuse was compounded by object-throwing.
Whilst at Ibrox
, Walters was part of the side that won the Scottish Premier League
in 1989, 1990 and 1991 and the Scottish League Cup
in 1988 and 1990 thus enjoying the most successful spell of his career in terms of trophies won.
On 13 August 1991, after 143 appearances in which he scored 51 goals, he followed Souness to Liverpool
, which was somewhat ironic seeing as his middle name is Everton - the name of Liverpool's fierce city rivals.
in a 2–1 league win over Oldham Athletic at Anfield on 17 August 1991. His first goal for the club was an 88th minute penalty in a 2–1 league win over Notts County
at Meadow Lane
on 7 September 1991.
His best display all season was in a match against Auxerre at Anfield in the Uefa Cup. Liverpool trailed 2-0 from the away leg but won their home match 3-0 with Walters netting a late winner after tormenting the French defence all night long.
He remained a regular in the side and helped Liverpool to the 1992 FA Cup Final
, although he was an unused substitute as his team-mates beat 2nd Division
Sunderland
2–0. However, he appeared in just 25 out of 42 league appearances for the Reds that season, scoring three goals as they finished sixth - the first time since 1981 that they had finished lower than champions or runners-up.
Walters scored Liverpool's first FA Premier League
goal when he equalized in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United in August 1992. That same season he was also the first Liverpool player to score a Premiership hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Coventry City. He was their second highest scorer behind Ian Rush
that season, scoring 11 goals in 34 league games, though the Reds finished sixth again.
He lost his regular place in central midfield to youngster Jamie Redknapp
in the 1993-94 season
and never regained it.
When Liverpool beat Bolton Wanderers
2–1 in the 1995 Coca-Cola Cup final, again an unused substitute, Walters was being used less as Roy Evans
was employing three centre-halves with Rob Jones and Stig Inge Bjørnebye
as wing-backs and three midfielders - Steve McManaman
, Jamie Redknapp and John Barnes
.
He had already been sent out on loan to Stoke City
(9 games, 2 goals) and Wolverhampton Wanderers
(11 games, 3 goals) during the 1993–94 and 1994–95 seasons, and thus it was not surprising that, after not appearing at all during the first half of the 1995–96
season, Walters was allowed to leave, joining Southampton
on 18 January 1996 on a free transfer.
in January 1996 to assist in the Saints' desperate fight against relegation from the Premiership. He made his debut as a substitute against Middlesbrough
on 20 January 1996 and made a total of five league and four FA Cup appearances (with the Saints reaching the quarter-finals of the competition), but struggled to make any real impression with the side. His final appearance was in a dreadful match away to Queens Park Rangers
, which Saints lost 3–0 meekly surrendering in a shoddy second half. At the end of the season, with Saints' Premiership status secured for another season, Walters was released, moving on to Swindon Town
, ironically as Graeme Souness - the man who signed him for Liverpool five years earlier - was arriving at Southampton to succeed the sacked Merrington.
on a free on 31 July 1996 and made his debut on 17 August in the 2-0 defeat to Norwich City
at Carrow Road
. His first goal for the Robins came via a 26th minute penalty during the 2-1 league win over Tranmere Rovers
on 14 September 1996.
At the County Ground
, Walters was "sometimes brilliant, but at other times could be very frustrating". He never really featured in manager Jimmy Quinn's plans, and was eventually released to Bristol Rovers
on a free transfer during the administration period, when it was decided Town could no longer afford his wages.
Walters played a total of 126 matches for Swindon in which he scored 28 goals before he was released on 17 November 1999.
's Bristol Rovers
side on a free transfer. He spent three years at the Memorial Stadium
playing 96 times and scoring 14 goals before he finally hung up his boots on 26 April 2002, five weeks before his 38th birthday. The penultimate season of his career saw Rovers slip into Division Three, and they struggled at this level too, finishing the season just one place - though many points - above demoted Halifax Town.
at schoolboy and under 21 levels before he earning his only full cap under Graham Taylor
whilst he was with Rangers. It came on 3 June 1991 in the 1-0 friendly victory over New Zealand in Auckland
.
teaches science.
Although now retired, Walters still plays in the Sky Sports
masters football
competitions for Rangers. He is also one of three honorary members of the Rangers Supporters Trust, along with Johnny Hubbard
and Billy Simpson
.
Runner up
Runner up
Runner up
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...
from Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
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...
.
Aston Villa
Walters began his career as an apprentice at Aston VillaAston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
on leaving school in the summer of 1980, turning the professional a year later - just after Villa's Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
title triumph - and made his competitive debut on 28 April 1982 in a 4-1 league defeat at Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
, two months after the departure of manager Ron Saunders
Ron Saunders
Ron Saunders is a retired English football player and former successful manager. He remains the only manager to have taken charge of Aston Villa, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion, normally bitter rivals....
- who had given Walters his first professional contract - and the promotion of assistant Tony Barton
Tony Barton
Anthony Edward Barton was an English footballer, playing as an outside right, and football manager. He was born in Sutton, Surrey and managed Aston Villa to success in the 1982 European Cup, three months after taking charge.-Playing career:Tony Barton won England Schoolboy and Youth honours...
to the manager's seat. Walters was not included in Villa's squad for the final
1982 European Cup Final
The 1982 European Cup Final was played on 26 May 1982. English champions Aston Villa defeated West German league winners Bayern Munich 1–0 at De Kuip in Rotterdam, Netherlands to win the European Cup for the first time, and continue the streak of English teams winning the competition, being the...
of the European Cup on 26 May 1982, which they won 1-0 against Bayern Munich, the West German
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
champions.
Walters, still only 18, made 22 league appearances in the 1982-83
1982-83 in English football
The 1982–83 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Bob Paisley's last season as Liverpool manager ended on a high as they topped the First Division with a comfortable lead. Bob Paisley retired as Liverpool manager with a record 21 prizes in nine years. His...
campaign as Villa finished sixth. He scored once that season. He was firmly established as a regular player in the 1983-84 season
1983-84 in English football
The 1983–84 season was the 104th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool had a great first season under the management of Joe Fagan as they wrapped up their third successive league title and the 15th in their history...
, appearing 37 times in the league and scoring eight goals, though Villa had a disappointing season and finished 10th, with Tony Barton being sacked at the end of the season and replaced by Graham Turner
Graham Turner
Graham John Turner is an English former footballer who became a manager. He is currently manager of League Two club Shrewsbury Town. His son Mark was also a professional footballer....
.
Walters, now highly rated as one of the country's most promising young players, remained in favour under Graham Turner, but Villa were in deep trouble throughout the 1985-86 season
1985-86 in English football
The 1985–86 season was the 106th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The championship crown went to Liverpool for the 16th time in their history at the end of their first season under the management of Kenny Dalglish, but they had to fight off some very stiff competition to...
, finishing 16th and only avoiding relegation thanks to a late run of good form.
Walters was restricted to 21 league games due to injury problems in 1986-87
1986-87 in English football
The 1986–87 season was the 107th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The First Division championship went to Everton in their final season under the management of Howard Kendall before his departure to Athletic Bilbao. His side overcame a spate of injuries to fight off...
as Villa were relegated in bottom place. Turner had been sacked in September and replaced by Billy McNeill
Billy McNeill
William "Billy" McNeill MBE is a former Scottish footballer and manager. He is best known for captaining Celtic to the European Cup triumph in 1967 and he later went on to manage the club. He is now the official Club Ambassador at Celtic....
, who in turn lost his job after relegation to be succeeded by Graham Taylor
Graham Taylor
Graham Taylor may refer to:* Graham Taylor , footballer and manager* Graham Taylor , British novelist and part-time priest* Graham Taylor , Major League Baseball player...
.
Walters appeared in the first 24 games of Villa's ultimately successful quest to regain First Division status
1987-88 in English football
The 1987–88 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all season....
, scoring seven goals, but his talent was attracting attention from bigger clubs.
Rangers
Due to English clubs being banned from EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an competition, teams such as Rangers, who were managed by former Liverpool star Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
, were finding it easier to attract English players and sign internationals such as Terry Butcher
Terry Butcher
Terence Ian "Terry" Butcher is an English football manager and former player. He was a highly successful football player and made his name as an uncompromising defender with Ipswich Town and Rangers in the 1980s. He was also a captain of England and won 77 caps in a ten-year international career...
, Trevor Steven
Trevor Steven
Trevor McGregor Steven is a football talent scout. He was formerly an England footballer who shot to fame with the successful Everton side of the 1980s....
, Gary Stevens
Gary Stevens
Gary Michael Stevens is a retired English footballer who is best remembered playing in defence for a successful Everton side of the 1980s, as well as for the England national football team....
, Chris Woods
Chris Woods
Christopher 'Chris' Charles Eric Woods is a former England international football goalkeeper, who played in the Football League and Premier League for Queens Park Rangers, Norwich City, Sheffield Wednesday, Reading, Southampton and Burnley, in the Scottish Football League for Rangers, and in Major...
and Ray Wilkins
Ray Wilkins
Raymond Colin Wilkins MBE , often known as "Butch" Wilkins, is an English former footballer and at present a television pundit...
with Walters becoming one of these players on New Years Eve 1987.
He has been referred to as the first black player to sign for Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. However, Walter Tull
Walter Tull
Walter Daniel John Tull was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward for Tottenham Hotspur and Northampton Town...
signed for Rangers during the First World War but was killed in the conflict before he could play.
Walters made his Rangers debut on 2 January 1988 in the Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
derby match with Celtic at Parkhead
Parkhead
Parkhead is a district in the East End of Glasgow. Its name comes from a small weaving hamlet at the meeting place of the Great Eastern Road and Westmuir Street. Duke Street and Springfield Road also meet there, to form a turreted Edwardian five-way junction at Parkhead Cross...
, a game which Rangers lost 2–0. A large amount of abuse came from Celtic fans, with bananas requiring to be cleared from the pitch and monkey noises coming from the Celtic fans' main area of the stadium known as "The Jungle". Some Celtic fans also dressed up in fancy dress monkey suits, whilst a fruit stand near the ground was reported to have sold out of bananas. Meanwhile, during the same game, in defence of Walters, Rangers' fans, with an unconscious racism, sang "I'd rather be a darkie than a Tim (Scots-Irish catholic)". Although Celtic slammed the perpetrators, the Scottish Football Association remained silent. Rangers also banned one of their own season ticket holders of racist abuse aimed at Walters. Walters himself later stated that his worst experience in Scotland was at Heart of Midlothian's
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
Tynecastle, where the abuse was compounded by object-throwing.
Whilst at Ibrox
Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
, Walters was part of the side that won the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
in 1989, 1990 and 1991 and the Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
in 1988 and 1990 thus enjoying the most successful spell of his career in terms of trophies won.
On 13 August 1991, after 143 appearances in which he scored 51 goals, he followed Souness to Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, which was somewhat ironic seeing as his middle name is Everton - the name of Liverpool's fierce city rivals.
Liverpool
Liverpool paid £1.25 million for Walters' services and he made his debut four days after signing, when he came on as a 65th minute substitute for Steve McMahonSteve McMahon
Stephen Joseph McMahon is an English former football midfielder who most notably played for Liverpool in the late 1980s...
in a 2–1 league win over Oldham Athletic at Anfield on 17 August 1991. His first goal for the club was an 88th minute penalty in a 2–1 league win over Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
at Meadow Lane
Meadow Lane
Not to be confused with The Meadow, home of Southern Football League Premier Division football team Chesham UnitedThe Meadow Lane Stadium is a football stadium in Nottingham, England...
on 7 September 1991.
His best display all season was in a match against Auxerre at Anfield in the Uefa Cup. Liverpool trailed 2-0 from the away leg but won their home match 3-0 with Walters netting a late winner after tormenting the French defence all night long.
He remained a regular in the side and helped Liverpool to the 1992 FA Cup Final
1992 FA Cup Final
The 1992 FA Cup Final was contested by Liverpool and Sunderland at Wembley. Liverpool won 2–0, with goals from Michael Thomas and Ian Rush....
, although he was an unused substitute as his team-mates beat 2nd Division
Football League Second Division
From 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...
Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
2–0. However, he appeared in just 25 out of 42 league appearances for the Reds that season, scoring three goals as they finished sixth - the first time since 1981 that they had finished lower than champions or runners-up.
Walters scored Liverpool's first FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
goal when he equalized in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United in August 1992. That same season he was also the first Liverpool player to score a Premiership hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Coventry City. He was their second highest scorer behind Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
that season, scoring 11 goals in 34 league games, though the Reds finished sixth again.
He lost his regular place in central midfield to youngster Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Frank Redknapp is a retired English footballer who was active from 1989 until 2005. He is now a football pundit with Sky Sports, and an editorial columnist with the Daily Mail....
in the 1993-94 season
1993-94 in English football
The 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...
and never regained it.
When Liverpool beat Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
2–1 in the 1995 Coca-Cola Cup final, again an unused substitute, Walters was being used less as Roy Evans
Roy Evans
Roy Evans CBE was a Liverpool football player who eventually rose through the coaching ranks to become team manager.-Career:...
was employing three centre-halves with Rob Jones and Stig Inge Bjørnebye
Stig Inge Bjørnebye
Stig Inge Bjørnebye is a retired Norwegian footballer who played in Norway, England, and Denmark, most notably for Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers. His preferred position was left back, which he occupied for domestic clubs and the national team...
as wing-backs and three midfielders - Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
, Jamie Redknapp and John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
.
He had already been sent out on loan to Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
(9 games, 2 goals) and Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
(11 games, 3 goals) during the 1993–94 and 1994–95 seasons, and thus it was not surprising that, after not appearing at all during the first half of the 1995–96
1995-96 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....
season, Walters was allowed to leave, joining Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
on 18 January 1996 on a free transfer.
Southampton
Walters was signed by David MerringtonDavid Merrington
David Robert Merrington is a former football manager.As a player Merrington appeared in midfield for Burnley, playing 98 league games including a spell as captain. He later played for Bristol City before retiring and going into coaching .Merrington was a brief caretaker manager for Sunderland A.F.C...
in January 1996 to assist in the Saints' desperate fight against relegation from the Premiership. He made his debut as a substitute against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 20 January 1996 and made a total of five league and four FA Cup appearances (with the Saints reaching the quarter-finals of the competition), but struggled to make any real impression with the side. His final appearance was in a dreadful match away to Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
, which Saints lost 3–0 meekly surrendering in a shoddy second half. At the end of the season, with Saints' Premiership status secured for another season, Walters was released, moving on to Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, ironically as Graeme Souness - the man who signed him for Liverpool five years earlier - was arriving at Southampton to succeed the sacked Merrington.
Swindon Town
Walters joined Swindon TownSwindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
on a free on 31 July 1996 and made his debut on 17 August in the 2-0 defeat to Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
at Carrow Road
Carrow Road
Carrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
. His first goal for the Robins came via a 26th minute penalty during the 2-1 league win over Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
on 14 September 1996.
At the County Ground
County Ground, Swindon
The County Ground is a stadium located near the town centre of Swindon, England. It is home to Swindon Town Football Club and has been for over a century.The current capacity is 15,728, all-seated...
, Walters was "sometimes brilliant, but at other times could be very frustrating". He never really featured in manager Jimmy Quinn's plans, and was eventually released to Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
on a free transfer during the administration period, when it was decided Town could no longer afford his wages.
Walters played a total of 126 matches for Swindon in which he scored 28 goals before he was released on 17 November 1999.
Bristol Rovers
Having been told that he was no longer required by Swindon the 35 year-old joined Ian HollowayIan Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
's Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
side on a free transfer. He spent three years at the Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Bristol)
The Memorial Stadium, also commonly known by its previous name of The Memorial Ground, is a sports ground in Bristol, England, dedicated to the memory of the rugby union players of the city killed during World War I...
playing 96 times and scoring 14 goals before he finally hung up his boots on 26 April 2002, five weeks before his 38th birthday. The penultimate season of his career saw Rovers slip into Division Three, and they struggled at this level too, finishing the season just one place - though many points - above demoted Halifax Town.
England career
Walters represented EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at schoolboy and under 21 levels before he earning his only full cap under Graham Taylor
Graham Taylor (football manager)
Graham Taylor OBE is a football pundit, ex-football manager, and a former player. He is best known as the manager of the England national football team, as well as being manager of Watford, a club he took from the Fourth Division to the First in the space of five years, then from bottom of the...
whilst he was with Rangers. It came on 3 June 1991 in the 1-0 friendly victory over New Zealand in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
.
Retirement
Walters joined Coventry Preparatory School as a Saturday morning football coach for the four- to 11 year–olds in February 2003; he then became a member of staff in January 2006, coaching years three to eight and is also head coach of the under-14s at Aston Villa's academy. Walters is also heavily involved with groups aiming to eliminate racism in football. Walters went back to school and obtained teaching qualifications. He is Head of Languages at Aston Villa's academy. His close friend Torben PiechnikTorben Piechnik
Torben Piechnik is a Danish former professional football player who was a defender. He made a total of 15 appearances for the Danish national team, which he represented in the 1992 European Championship and 1996 European Championship....
teaches science.
Although now retired, Walters still plays in the Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
masters football
Masters football
Masters football is a 6 a-side indoor football competition in the United Kingdom, where players over the age of 35 are chosen by the Masters Football Selection Committee to represent a senior club which they played for. Regional heats are held, and the winners of each go forward to a national...
competitions for Rangers. He is also one of three honorary members of the Rangers Supporters Trust, along with Johnny Hubbard
Johnny Hubbard
Jonathan "Johnny" Hubbard, MBE is a retired South African footballer who spent the majority of his career at Rangers, and latterly played for Bury and Ayr United....
and Billy Simpson
Billy Simpson
William "Billy" J. Simpson is a former Northern Ireland international footballer.Simpson signed for Rangers from Linfield for a sum of £11,500 in 1950. He spent nine years at Rangers making 239 appearances and scoring 163 goals...
.
Aston Villa
Winner- 1980 FA Youth CupFA Youth CupThe Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
- 1982 European Super CupEuropean Super CupThe UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...
Runner up
- 1987-88 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...
Promotion (Level 2)
Rangers
Winner- 1989 Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
- 1988-89 Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
(Level 1) - 1989-90 Scottish Premier League (Level 1)
- 1991 Scottish League Cup
- 1990-91 Scottish Premier League (Level 1)
Runner up
- 1989 Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
- 1990 Scottish League Cup
Liverpool
Winner- 1992 FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- 1995 League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
Runner up
- 1992 Charity Shield