Albert Walker (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Albert Walker was an English
professional footballer who played as a full-back.
Walker was born in Little Lever
, near Bolton
, Lancashire
. After moving from his school team to Little Lever United of the Bolton and District League, Walker signed as an amateur
for Southport
. He spent little over a year at Haig Avenue
before moving to Bolton Wanderers
of the First Division
.
Competing with Bob Haworth
and Alex Finney
, Walker found his chances limited and moved to Third Division North
side Barrow
the following year.
After 72 games and 11 goals for Barrow, Walker was picked up by London
club West Ham United
, who had just been relegated
to the Second Division
. He made his Hammers debut against Oldham Athletic, a 5-2 win at Upton Park
.
Walker spent six years at West Ham, forming a partnership with Alf Chalkley, and was an ever-present during the 1934-35
season. He played his last game for the club on 28 December 1937 against Norwich City
. He left in 1938 to join Doncaster Rovers
and made 40 League appearances for the northerners.
Walker spent World War II
with the National Fire Service
, then joined Southern League
club Colchester United
.
He later rejoined West Ham as coach of the Metropolitan League team, then worked his way up through the Eastern Counties League
and Football Combination
teams before working with the first team. He retired in 1980.
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...
professional footballer who played as a full-back.
Walker was born in Little Lever
Little Lever
Little Lever is a large village within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it is southeast of Bolton, west of Radcliffe, and west-southwest of Bury....
, near Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. After moving from his school team to Little Lever United of the Bolton and District League, Walker signed as an amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
for Southport
Southport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
. He spent little over a year at Haig Avenue
Haig Avenue
Haig Avenue is a football stadium in Southport, England and is the home ground of Southport F.C.-Location:The ground is situated to the east of Southport just off the A570, the main road to Ormskirk...
before moving to 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....
of the 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....
.
Competing with Bob Haworth
Bob Haworth
Robert "Bob" Haworth was an English football player best known for playing for Bolton Wanderers, for whom he made over 300 appearances in The Football League. He played for the team in the 1923, 1926 and 1929 FA Cup Finals.-References:...
and Alex Finney
Alex Finney
Alexander "Alex" Finney was an English football player best known for playing for Bolton Wanderers, for whom he made nearly 500 appearances in The Football League. He played for the team in the 1923 and 1929 FA Cup Finals.-References:...
, Walker found his chances limited and moved to Third Division North
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
side Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
the following year.
After 72 games and 11 goals for Barrow, Walker was picked up by London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
club West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, who had just been relegated
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the Second 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...
. He made his Hammers debut against Oldham Athletic, a 5-2 win at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
.
Walker spent six years at West Ham, forming a partnership with Alf Chalkley, and was an ever-present during the 1934-35
1934-35 in English football
The 1934–35 season was the 60th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Arsenal become only the second team to win the League three consecutive times.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
season. He played his last game for the club on 28 December 1937 against 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...
. He left in 1938 to join Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
and made 40 League appearances for the northerners.
Walker spent World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with the National Fire Service
National Fire Service
The National Fire Service was the single fire service created in Great Britain in 1941 during the Second World War; a separate National Fire Service was created in 1942....
, then joined Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
club Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
.
He later rejoined West Ham as coach of the Metropolitan League team, then worked his way up through the Eastern Counties League
Eastern Counties Football League
The Eastern Counties Football League is an English football league at levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system. It currently contains clubs from Norfolk, Suffolk, northern Essex and eastern Cambridgeshire, and is a feeder to the regional divisions of the Isthmian League and Southern...
and Football Combination
Football Combination
The Football Combination , is a football competition for the reserve teams of English Football League clubs from Southern England and Wales...
teams before working with the first team. He retired in 1980.