Joe Walton (footballer)
Encyclopedia
For the fooballer of the same name see Joe Walton (footballer born 1881)
Joseph Walton (5 June 1925 – 31 December 2006) was an English
professional footballer.
He was born in Manchester
in June 1925, and began his playing career at the end of the Second World War
with Manchester United
. As a full-back, he was unable to displace Johnny Carey
or John Aston in the line-up, and was transferred to Preston North End
in March 1948 in hope of gaining regular first-team football, having only played 23 games in two seasons at Old Trafford
.
Walton was to remain at Deepdale
for almost 13 years, during which time he played 435 competitive games, established himself as one of Preston's all-time legend, and came close to winning the Football League title and the FA Cup
.
He finally left Preston in February 1961 and joined Fourth Division
strugglers Accrington Stanley
.
Accrington went bankrupt and were forced to resign from the Football League in March 1962, with two months of the season left to play. Their record was expunged and league football did not return to the club for 44 years. Walton was approaching 37 at the time of Accrington's demise, and decided to retire from professional football, but he continued at non-league level as player-coach of Horwich RMI.
After retiring from football later in the 1960s, he ran a newsagents shop in Preston and then worked for a local electrical firm. He died in Preston on New Year's Eve 2006 at the age of 81. He was survived by his wife and two grown-up children.
Joe Walton (footballer born 1881)
Joseph 'Joe' Walton was an English professional footballer who played for Preston North End, Tottenham Hotspur, Sheffield United and Stalybridge Celtic.- Football career :...
Joseph Walton (5 June 1925 – 31 December 2006) was an English
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.
He was born in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in June 1925, and began his playing career at the end of the Second World War
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 Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. As a full-back, he was unable to displace Johnny Carey
Johnny Carey
John Joseph "Johnny" Carey , also known as Jackie Carey, was an Irish footballer and manager. As a player Carey spent most of his career at Manchester United, where he was team captain from 1946 until he retired as a player in 1953...
or John Aston in the line-up, and was transferred to Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
in March 1948 in hope of gaining regular first-team football, having only played 23 games in two seasons at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
.
Walton was to remain at Deepdale
Deepdale
Deepdale is a stadium in the Deepdale area of Preston, England, the home of Preston North End F.C. and, up to 2010, England's National Football Museum. Preston North End are one of the founder members of the Football League.- History :...
for almost 13 years, during which time he played 435 competitive games, established himself as one of Preston's all-time legend, and came close to winning the Football League title and the FA Cup
FA Cup
The 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...
.
He finally left Preston in February 1961 and joined Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
strugglers Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
.
Accrington went bankrupt and were forced to resign from the Football League in March 1962, with two months of the season left to play. Their record was expunged and league football did not return to the club for 44 years. Walton was approaching 37 at the time of Accrington's demise, and decided to retire from professional football, but he continued at non-league level as player-coach of Horwich RMI.
After retiring from football later in the 1960s, he ran a newsagents shop in Preston and then worked for a local electrical firm. He died in Preston on New Year's Eve 2006 at the age of 81. He was survived by his wife and two grown-up children.