Dick Walker
Encyclopedia
Richard Walker was an English
footballer
who played for West Ham United
.
He was born in Hackney
, London
.
Dick Walker's three decade association with West Ham began during the 1932-33
season. Playing for Becontree Athletic on Sunday mornings, Walker was spotted by a club scout and given a trial. He played for the club in the London Midweek League, but moved to west London
club Park Royal for the following season.
After a home clash against Park Royal, West Ham re-signed the player and he made his first-team debut as right-half against Burnley
on 27 August 1934. After featuring in a number of defensive positions, he finally settled into centre-half as replacement for Jim Barrett
in 1936.
During World War II
, Walker served with an infantry battalion who fought from El Alamein
to Italy and was several times mentioned in dispatches. He played football for the Army whilst on duty in the Middle East
and also took leave to play occasional games for West Ham. Upon his return from action, he took the captaincy and played league football with the club until his final game on 18 February 1953, against Plymouth Argyle
at Upton Park
. He totalled 292 league appearances for the club, scoring two goals.
The following four years would see Walker play more than 200 further reserve
and A team games until the end of the 1956-57
season when his playing contract was not renewed by Ted Fenton
and he was offered a job cleaning players boots at £4 a week.
He received a testimonial
in October 1957 against Sparta Rotterdam
.
Walker went on to become coach to Dagenham
and later joined Spurs
as a scout.
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 played for 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...
.
He was born in Hackney
Metropolitan Borough of Hackney
The Metropolitan Borough of Hackney was a Metropolitan borough of the County of London from 1900 to 1965. Its area became part of the London Borough of Hackney.-Formation and boundaries:...
, 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...
.
Dick Walker's three decade association with West Ham began during the 1932-33
1932-33 in English football
The 1932–33 season was the 58th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
season. Playing for Becontree Athletic on Sunday mornings, Walker was spotted by a club scout and given a trial. He played for the club in the London Midweek League, but moved to west 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 Park Royal for the following season.
After a home clash against Park Royal, West Ham re-signed the player and he made his first-team debut as right-half against Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
on 27 August 1934. After featuring in a number of defensive positions, he finally settled into centre-half as replacement for Jim Barrett
Jim Barrett, Sr.
James William Barrett was an English footballer who played for West Ham United.Born in Stratford, London, Barrett began playing football at the city's Park School, after moving from Abbey School because it lacked a team...
in 1936.
During 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...
, Walker served with an infantry battalion who fought from El Alamein
El Alamein
El Alamein is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. As of 2007, it has a local population of 7,397 inhabitants.- Climate :...
to Italy and was several times mentioned in dispatches. He played football for the Army whilst on duty in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and also took leave to play occasional games for West Ham. Upon his return from action, he took the captaincy and played league football with the club until his final game on 18 February 1953, against Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
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:...
. He totalled 292 league appearances for the club, scoring two goals.
The following four years would see Walker play more than 200 further reserve
Reserve team
Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...
and A team games until the end of the 1956-57
1956-57 in English football
The 1956–57 season was the 77th season of competitive football in England.Manchester United won the First Division to become English football champions for the fifth time. Tottenham Hotspur were runners-up. In the Second Division it was Leicester City who finished in top spot, ahead of East...
season when his playing contract was not renewed by Ted Fenton
Ted Fenton
Edward "Ted" Fenton was manager of English football club West Ham United between 1950 and 1961.- West Ham United :...
and he was offered a job cleaning players boots at £4 a week.
He received a testimonial
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
in October 1957 against Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....
.
Walker went on to become coach to Dagenham
Dagenham F.C.
Dagenham F.C. was an English football club based in Dagenham. Established in 1949, the club played at Victoria Road from 1955 until its merger with Redbridge Forest in 1992 to form Dagenham & Redbridge.-History:...
and later joined Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
as a scout.