Nicky Walker

Nicky Walker
Personal information
Full name Joseph Nicol Walker[1]
Date of birth (1962-09-29) 29 September 1962
Place of birth Aberdeen, Scotland
Playing position Goalkeeper
Youth career
Elgin City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1982 Leicester City 6 (0)
1982–1983 Motherwell 30 (0)
1983–1990 Rangers 75 (0)
1987–1988 → Dunfermline Athletic (loan) 1 (0)
1990–1994 Heart of Midlothian 50 (0)
1991–1992 → Burnley (loan) 6 (0)
1994–1996 Partick Thistle 53 (0)
1996–1997 Aberdeen 19 (0)
1997–2001 Ross County 112 (0)
2001–2002 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 27 (0)
Total 379 (0)
National team
1993–1996 Scotland 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Joseph Nicol Walker (born 29 September 1962) is a Scottish former professional footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for several clubs in Scotland and England. Walker was selected for many Scotland squads during the 1990s, earning two international caps.

Football career

Club

A product of the Scottish Highland Football League, Walker commenced his professional football career with his local club, Elgin City FC, then a Highland League club, prior to signing for Leicester City aged 17. He didn’t settle in the Midlands though, and returned to Scotland within the year, signing for Motherwell in 1981. Two years later, he moved, this time signing for Rangers, where he soon established himself as the Light Blues first choice keeper.

The arrival of Chris Woods as part of the Souness revolution relegated Walker to the Ibrox substitutes bench though, and after several seasons playing second fiddle to the England number 1, Walker joined Heart of Midlothian in a £125,000 deal. Despite losing his place as first choice goalkeeper at Ibrox he played in the 1987/88 Scottish League Cup Final against Aberdeen which Rangers won after a penalty shoot-out.

Walker’s time at Tynecastle developed into a see-saw battle with Henry Smith for the starting goalkeeping role, both men earning international recognition when in the Hearts first team but enduring significant spells on the sidelines. Smith eventually won the duel and, after a loan spell with Burnley, Walker moved to Partick Thistle in 1994 in a part-exchange deal for Craig Nelson.

Firhill proved a happy home for Walker, and he enjoyed his most consistent period in the West of Glasgow. When Thistle were relegated in 1996, his form was sufficient to earn a £60,000 move to high-flying Aberdeen. He left Pittodrie in 1999 after he was supplanted by Derek Stillie, winding down his career with short spells at Ross County and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

International

Walker earned two international caps for Scotland, making his debut in a 1–0 defeat by Germany in 1993.[2] His only other appearance was three years later, against the United States.[3] Walker was selected as a reserve goalkeeper in the Scotland squad for UEFA Euro 1996.[4]

Personal life

Walker's family company is Walkers Shortbread, based in the Speyside village of Aberlour, Morayshire, in north east Scotland.

References

  1. ↑ "Nicky Walker". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  2. ↑ Zlotkowski, Andre (2 February 2005). "International Matches 1993 - Europe, January-March". RSSSF. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  3. ↑ Morrison, Neil (2 February 2005). "International Matches 1996 - Intercontinental, April-June". RSSSF. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "Netherlands 0-0 Scotland". UEFA. 10 June 1996. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
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