Paul Walsh
Encyclopedia
Paul Anthony Walsh is a retired English
footballer.
Walsh was a diminutive and pacy centre forward who shot to fame in the 1980s during spells with Charlton
, Luton
, Liverpool
and Tottenham
.
fixture with Shrewsbury Town
during the 1979–80 season and went on to appear in nine league games as Charlton failed to hold to their Second Division status. Walsh was given a chance in Division Three and struck up a brilliant front line with Addicks great Derek Hales
. Walsh notably scored a hat-trick
against Brentford
, Charlton won the League Cup
tie 5–0. Charlton went on to gain promotion as well as reach the 5th round of the FA Cup
. Walsh enjoyed himself in the higher division bagging a respectable 13 goals as the Addicks finished mid table.
Luton then secured a highly creditable 3–3 draw away to Liverpool, with Walsh setting up the first goal for Brian Stein
after turning Liverpool and Éire defender Mark Lawrenson
inside out. Although free-scoring, Luton struggled to contain the quality of the First Division
attacks but they managed to survive the drop by winning their final game of the season against Manchester City
at Maine Road
. His impish, natural predatory instincts around the penalty area earned him the first of five caps for England
and in 1983, Bobby Robson
gave Walsh his debut on 12 June in a friendly with Australia at Sydney
, the first of the three match tour ended in a 0–0 draw, Walsh scored his only goal for his country in the following match against the Aussies, the match was played in Brisbane
on 16 June and Walsh's goal was the only goal of the game. Walsh's performances and ability were recognised by his fellow professionals as he won the PFA Young Player of the Year
award in 1984. That year he also helped England win the 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
.
for Liverpool on 21 May 1984 for £700,000. He made his debut on 18 August 1984 in the 1–0 Charity Shield defeat to derby
rivals Everton
. With Ian Rush
injured at the start of his first season, Walsh was expected to slot in alongside Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish
straight away, which he did with aplomb, skill and trickery, leading the line with confidence. It didn't take him long to open his goal scoring account either, it came mere seconds into his third game for the Reds, his Anfield
debut, against West Ham United
on 27 August; the Reds went on to win 3–0.
He scored the equaliser for Liverpool against Manchester United
in the league on 22 September, but with Rush's return to fitness soon afterwards, Walsh did not score in the league again until 20 April, in a 3–1 home win over Newcastle United
. On 6 May, he scored both of Liverpool's goals in their 2–0 win at Coventry City
, and managed another brace in the season's penultimate game, a 3–0 win at West Ham United. He managed a last minute equaliser in extra time against Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final that season, though Liverpool lost the replay 2–1 to their great north west rivals.
Despite playing alongside Dalglish as a stand-in for Rush, Walsh had been signed for the Reds as a possible eventual long-term successor to Dalglish, who was now 33 and became player-manager after Fagan's retirement at the end of the 1984–85 season.
As Liverpool's campaign to defend the European Cup
gathered pace, Walsh scored crucial goals in the latter stages of the competition, including two in the quarter-finals against Austria Vienna
, missing out on a hat-trick
when the opposing goalkeeper saved his penalty. Liverpool made the final and Walsh was selected by manager Joe Fagan
to start the game, but the Heysel Stadium disaster
put his joy into perspective, and Liverpool ultimately lost the match.
Walsh was cursed with poor luck the following season, suffering niggling injuries and thereby necessitating Dalglish's appearance in the side more than the new player-manager would have possibly preferred. An ankle
injury suffered in February 1986 put paid to Walsh's season as Liverpool won the League championship
and FA Cup "double". Walsh played enough games for a title medal but missed the FA Cup final victory over fierce Merseyside
rivals Everton.
Dalglish scaled down his playing career the following year, and Walsh got more of a look-in after recovering from another injury which had ruled him out of the opening dozen games. He played in the 1987 League Cup Final
but Liverpool lost 2–1 to Arsenal
and Walsh was dropped afterwards following the arrival of John Aldridge and then Peter Beardsley. Earlier in the 1986-87 season
, Walsh had scored a hat-trick in a 6-2 home win over a Norwich City
side who had just returned to the First Division following for promotion but were already looking like title contenders and ultimately finished fifth.
A trophyless season meant that Dalglish spent big on new players to revive Liverpool's fortunes and Walsh suffered as a result as John Aldridge
was bought to replace Rush as the natural finisher of the team with Peter Beardsley
coming in at huge expense to provide the craft. This new strike partnership was an instant success as Liverpool went unbeaten for a record-equalling first 29 games of the season while Walsh, having unwisely questioned Dalglish's offer of a role in midfield, was relegated to a few cursory appearances as a substitute. Whilst Liverpool waltzed to the League title Walsh was on the move having not made enough appearances to qualify for a medal.
His days at Anfield were up. Ironically, Kenny Dalglish was still registered as a player (though he only played four competitives games after the 1986–87 season
before he finally retired in August 1990) at Anfield when Walsh (the player who had been signed with a view to being his eventual long-term successor) was on his way out of the club.
at Old Trafford
. After forming a productive partnership with Paul Stewart, Walsh helped Spurs to a respectable sixth place, however, he suffered the following season as the White Hart Lane
club brought Gary Lineker
back to England
from Spain
. Walsh made way for Lineker, making most of his 25 appearances from the bench as Spurs finished third. He did enjoy one particular game that season however, when he opened the scoring in the North London derby
win over Arsenal
at home. His only medal at Spurs came when they won the FA Cup in 1991
, coming on as a substitute at Wembley.
Walsh spent one more season at Spurs, helping them to the semi-final of the League Cup where they lost to Nottingham Forest
. The addition of Gordon Durie
to the squad made it increasingly difficult for Walsh to gain a starting role; he also played twice on loan at Queens Park Rangers
, and when Spurs showed an interest in Darren Anderton
Walsh was used as a bargaining tool.
. Walsh made his Pompey debut on 15 August 1992 in the 3–3 league draw with Bristol City
at Ashton Gate
.
Walsh became a cult hero at Portsmouth. In the 1992–93 season, Portsmouth placed third in the First Division, missing out on automatic promotion to the Premier League on goal difference to West Ham United
, and Guy Whittingham
broke goalscoring records for Portsmouth, who were the strongest side in the division in the second half of the season following a lukewarm start. Despite Whittingham's goalscoring exploits, the Pompey fans voted Walsh their player of the year, recognising that it was his guile and craft that made the Portsmouth attack so effective. Whittingham was sold to Aston Villa in the summer of 1993, and Walsh subsequently formed a solid partnership with another former Liverpool player, John Durnin
, but the potency of the Portsmouth side had faded. However, it was in the post-Whittingham era that Walsh had what was arguably his best game in the blue of Portsmouth, on 12 January 1994 in a Coca-Cola Cup
fifth round tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford
. Going into the game as huge underdogs, Portsmouth shocked the Premier League champions by earning a replay at Fratton Park
with a 2–2 draw. Walsh had a fantastic game and scored both goals, and United were lucky to survive a late penalty appeal. Unfortunately for Portsmouth fans, United won the replay at Fratton Park by a goal to nil.
After 73 league appearances for Portsmouth, Walsh was on the move once more, much to the distress of the Portsmouth fans.
paid Portsmouth £750,000 for the striker's services on 10 March 1994. He made his City bow two days later on 12 March, in the 1–0 league defeat to Wimbledon
at Maine Road
. He scored six times in the remaining ten fixtures, helping push City away from the relegation zone and up into a safe 16th position in the table, forming an exciting partnership with fellow City newcomer Uwe Rösler
. He began the following campaign in stunning form, scoring twice in games against Southampton
, Everton and his former club Spurs. City failed to maintain their good start to the season, however, and finished the campaign in 17th position. However, Walsh had endeared himself to the City faithful, who appreciated his energetic, all-action performances. The famous Spurs match in particular demonstrated Walsh's skill, tenacity and determination, orchestrating the destruction of Spurs in an unforgettable afternoon.
When new manager Alan Ball sold Walsh back to Portsmouth for £500,000 in exchange for Gerry Creaney
in September 1995, fans were shocked and questioned the deal, just as the Portsmouth fans had when he was sold to City the previous year.
injury to the knee
in 1996 which brought his career to an end.
and Sky Sports
appearing regularly on Soccer Saturday
and Football First.
Walsh appears regularly for the Liverpool veterans side who have dominated the Sky Sports Masters
series in recent years, usually linking up with former Portsmouth teammate John Durnin
.
Walsh has since taken his coaching badges. He has stated that he is currently happy in his pundit role on Sky Sports
' Soccer Saturday
. He has admitted several times he was an Arsenal fan as a child.
Winner
Runner Up
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.
Walsh was a diminutive and pacy centre forward who shot to fame in the 1980s during spells with Charlton
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, Luton
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
, 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...
and Tottenham
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....
.
Charlton Athletic
Walsh began his career at Charlton where he quickly established himself in the team, he made his debut as a 16 year-old substitute in a Second DivisionFootball 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...
fixture with Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
during the 1979–80 season and went on to appear in nine league games as Charlton failed to hold to their Second Division status. Walsh was given a chance in Division Three and struck up a brilliant front line with Addicks great Derek Hales
Derek Hales
Derek David Hales is an English former footballer.Hales joined Gillingham as a youth team player in 1968 but failed to gain a professional contract and drifted into non-League football, playing for Faversham Town and then Dartford...
. Walsh notably scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
against Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
, Charlton won the League Cup
Football League Cup
The 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...
tie 5–0. Charlton went on to gain promotion as well as reach the 5th round of 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...
. Walsh enjoyed himself in the higher division bagging a respectable 13 goals as the Addicks finished mid table.
Luton Town
Still only a 19 year-old and after just 87 league appearances Luton signed Walsh for £400,000 on 26 July 1982. Luton had just gained promotion to English football's top flight and were hoping that Walsh's ability to make something out of nothing would help them stay there. He was an immediate hit as Luton scored goals seemingly at will, winning 5–0 and 5–3 in their first two home games, with Walsh himself scoring an impressive hat-trick in the 5–3 victory over Notts County, and drawing 4–4 away at Stoke City.Luton then secured a highly creditable 3–3 draw away to Liverpool, with Walsh setting up the first goal for Brian Stein
Brian Stein
Brian Stein is a South African born former English footballer. He is the older brother of former Luton Town, Chelsea and Stoke City striker Mark Stein; another brother, Ed Stein, played for Barnet....
after turning Liverpool and Éire defender Mark Lawrenson
Mark Lawrenson
Mark Thomas Lawrenson is a former professional football player, a defender in the Liverpool and Irish football teams of the 1980s; he since became a radio, television and internet pundit for the BBC and Today FM. He was born in England, but played for the Republic of Ireland because his...
inside out. Although free-scoring, Luton struggled to contain the quality 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....
attacks but they managed to survive the drop by winning their final game of the season against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
at Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
. His impish, natural predatory instincts around the penalty area earned him the first of five caps for England
England 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...
and in 1983, Bobby Robson
Bobby Robson
Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....
gave Walsh his debut on 12 June in a friendly with Australia at Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, the first of the three match tour ended in a 0–0 draw, Walsh scored his only goal for his country in the following match against the Aussies, the match was played in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
on 16 June and Walsh's goal was the only goal of the game. Walsh's performances and ability were recognised by his fellow professionals as he won the PFA Young Player of the Year
PFA Young Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player aged 23 or under at the start of the season who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
award in 1984. That year he also helped England win the 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 1984, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. Albania, Iceland and Wales competed in the competition for the first time. England U-21s won the competition for the second time running....
.
Liverpool
Unsurprisingly given his impressive performance at Anfield, he was purchased by Joe FaganJoe Fagan
Joe Fagan was an English football manager best known for being manager of Liverpool F.C. from 1983 to 1985.- Career:Joe Fagan's playing career was largely spent at Manchester City for whom he signed in 1938...
for Liverpool on 21 May 1984 for £700,000. He made his debut on 18 August 1984 in the 1–0 Charity Shield defeat to derby
Merseyside derby
The Merseyside derby is the name given to any football match contested between Everton and Liverpool football clubs, the two most successful clubs from the city of Liverpool in England...
rivals Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. With 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...
injured at the start of his first season, Walsh was expected to slot in alongside Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
straight away, which he did with aplomb, skill and trickery, leading the line with confidence. It didn't take him long to open his goal scoring account either, it came mere seconds into his third game for the Reds, his Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
debut, against 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...
on 27 August; the Reds went on to win 3–0.
He scored the equaliser for Liverpool against 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...
in the league on 22 September, but with Rush's return to fitness soon afterwards, Walsh did not score in the league again until 20 April, in a 3–1 home win over Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. On 6 May, he scored both of Liverpool's goals in their 2–0 win at Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
, and managed another brace in the season's penultimate game, a 3–0 win at West Ham United. He managed a last minute equaliser in extra time against Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final that season, though Liverpool lost the replay 2–1 to their great north west rivals.
Despite playing alongside Dalglish as a stand-in for Rush, Walsh had been signed for the Reds as a possible eventual long-term successor to Dalglish, who was now 33 and became player-manager after Fagan's retirement at the end of the 1984–85 season.
As Liverpool's campaign to defend the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
gathered pace, Walsh scored crucial goals in the latter stages of the competition, including two in the quarter-finals against Austria Vienna
FK Austria Wien
Fußballklub Austria Wien is an Austrian association football club from the capital city of Vienna. They are considered the most successful club in Austria, having won the highest Austrian Bundesliga 23 times, the Austrian Cup 27 times and the Austrian Supercup 6 times. They also reached the UEFA...
, missing out on a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
when the opposing goalkeeper saved his penalty. Liverpool made the final and Walsh was selected by manager Joe Fagan
Joe Fagan
Joe Fagan was an English football manager best known for being manager of Liverpool F.C. from 1983 to 1985.- Career:Joe Fagan's playing career was largely spent at Manchester City for whom he signed in 1938...
to start the game, but the Heysel Stadium disaster
Heysel Stadium disaster
The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred on 29 May 1985 when escaping fans were pressed against a wall in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, as a result of rioting before the start of the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy...
put his joy into perspective, and Liverpool ultimately lost the match.
Walsh was cursed with poor luck the following season, suffering niggling injuries and thereby necessitating Dalglish's appearance in the side more than the new player-manager would have possibly preferred. An ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
injury suffered in February 1986 put paid to Walsh's season as Liverpool won the League championship
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....
and FA Cup "double". Walsh played enough games for a title medal but missed the FA Cup final victory over fierce Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
rivals Everton.
Dalglish scaled down his playing career the following year, and Walsh got more of a look-in after recovering from another injury which had ruled him out of the opening dozen games. He played in the 1987 League Cup Final
1987 Football League Cup Final
The 1987 Littlewoods Cup Final was a football match played on 5 April 1987 between Arsenal and Liverpool. The match, played in front of 96,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium, was won by Arsenal 2–1. Ian Rush opened the scoring for Liverpool, before Charlie Nicholas equalised, turning in a...
but Liverpool lost 2–1 to Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and Walsh was dropped afterwards following the arrival of John Aldridge and then Peter Beardsley. Earlier in the 1986-87 season
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...
, Walsh had scored a hat-trick in a 6-2 home win over a 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...
side who had just returned to the First Division following for promotion but were already looking like title contenders and ultimately finished fifth.
A trophyless season meant that Dalglish spent big on new players to revive Liverpool's fortunes and Walsh suffered as a result as John Aldridge
John Aldridge
John William Aldridge is a former Republic of Ireland international footballer and football manager...
was bought to replace Rush as the natural finisher of the team with Peter Beardsley
Peter Beardsley
Peter Andrew Beardsley MBE is an English former footballer who played between 1979 and 1999. He once set a record transfer fee in the game and represented his country 59 times between 1986 and 1996, once as captain...
coming in at huge expense to provide the craft. This new strike partnership was an instant success as Liverpool went unbeaten for a record-equalling first 29 games of the season while Walsh, having unwisely questioned Dalglish's offer of a role in midfield, was relegated to a few cursory appearances as a substitute. Whilst Liverpool waltzed to the League title Walsh was on the move having not made enough appearances to qualify for a medal.
His days at Anfield were up. Ironically, Kenny Dalglish was still registered as a player (though he only played four competitives games after the 1986–87 season
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...
before he finally retired in August 1990) at Anfield when Walsh (the player who had been signed with a view to being his eventual long-term successor) was on his way out of the club.
Tottenham Hotspur
After 112 games and 37 goals, a goal every 3.03 games for Liverpool, Walsh joined Tottenham for half a million pounds on 16 February 1988, beginning a spell of productive but short-lived spells at a number of different clubs. Walsh made his league debut seven days later on 23 February in the 1–1 draw with Manchester UnitedManchester 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...
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:...
. After forming a productive partnership with Paul Stewart, Walsh helped Spurs to a respectable sixth place, however, he suffered the following season as the White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
club brought Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...
back to 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...
from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Walsh made way for Lineker, making most of his 25 appearances from the bench as Spurs finished third. He did enjoy one particular game that season however, when he opened the scoring in the North London derby
North London derby
The North London derby is the name of the football local derby between the two major teams in North London – Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.-History:...
win over Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
at home. His only medal at Spurs came when they won the FA Cup in 1991
FA Cup Final 1991
The 1991 FA Cup Final saw Tottenham Hotspur win the FA Cup for a then-record eighth time, by beating Nottingham Forest 2–1 at Wembley in the 110th FA Cup Final....
, coming on as a substitute at Wembley.
Walsh spent one more season at Spurs, helping them to the semi-final of the League Cup where they lost to Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
. The addition of Gordon Durie
Gordon Durie
Gordon Scott Durie , known as Jukebox after the TV programme 'Jukebox Jury', is a Scottish former professional footballer, a utility player who usually played as a striker.- Playing career :...
to the squad made it increasingly difficult for Walsh to gain a starting role; he also played twice on loan at 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...
, and when Spurs showed an interest in Darren Anderton
Darren Anderton
Darren Robert Anderton is a retired English footballer who spent most of his career with Tottenham Hotspur as a midfielder. He played 30 times for the England national football team, scoring 7 goals.-Career:...
Walsh was used as a bargaining tool.
Portsmouth (first spell)
Walsh had played 158 times for Spurs, scoring 21 goals, before he moved to the South Coast in a deal worth around £400,000 on the 3 June 1992. Walsh was the makeweight in a "plus cash" player exchange for Darren AndertonDarren Anderton
Darren Robert Anderton is a retired English footballer who spent most of his career with Tottenham Hotspur as a midfielder. He played 30 times for the England national football team, scoring 7 goals.-Career:...
. Walsh made his Pompey debut on 15 August 1992 in the 3–3 league draw with Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
at Ashton Gate
Ashton Gate
Ashton Gate Stadium is a stadium in Ashton Gate, Bristol, England, and is the home of Bristol City F.C. Located in the south-west of the city, just south of the River Avon, it has an all-seated capacity of 21,497, with an effective capacity for football matches of around 19,500, with an average...
.
Walsh became a cult hero at Portsmouth. In the 1992–93 season, Portsmouth placed third in the First Division, missing out on automatic promotion to the Premier League on goal difference to 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...
, and Guy Whittingham
Guy Whittingham
Guy Whittingham is a retired professional footballer with over 450 appearances for a number of English clubs, after leaving the British Army. He is currently serving as joint caretaker manager of Portsmouth together with Stuart Gray...
broke goalscoring records for Portsmouth, who were the strongest side in the division in the second half of the season following a lukewarm start. Despite Whittingham's goalscoring exploits, the Pompey fans voted Walsh their player of the year, recognising that it was his guile and craft that made the Portsmouth attack so effective. Whittingham was sold to Aston Villa in the summer of 1993, and Walsh subsequently formed a solid partnership with another former Liverpool player, John Durnin
John Durnin
John Paul Durnin is an English footballer, now retired, who scored 100 goals in 475 league appearances over a career spanning close to two decades....
, but the potency of the Portsmouth side had faded. However, it was in the post-Whittingham era that Walsh had what was arguably his best game in the blue of Portsmouth, on 12 January 1994 in a Coca-Cola Cup
Football League Cup
The 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...
fifth round tie against Manchester United 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:...
. Going into the game as huge underdogs, Portsmouth shocked the Premier League champions by earning a replay at Fratton Park
Fratton Park
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
with a 2–2 draw. Walsh had a fantastic game and scored both goals, and United were lucky to survive a late penalty appeal. Unfortunately for Portsmouth fans, United won the replay at Fratton Park by a goal to nil.
After 73 league appearances for Portsmouth, Walsh was on the move once more, much to the distress of the Portsmouth fans.
Manchester City
Walsh's career took him to Manchester City, when Brian HortonBrian Horton
Brian Horton is an English former footballer and manager, who is working as Phil Brown's assistant at Preston North End.Horton played for Hednesford Town, Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton Town and Hull City as a midfielder...
paid Portsmouth £750,000 for the striker's services on 10 March 1994. He made his City bow two days later on 12 March, in the 1–0 league defeat to Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
at Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
. He scored six times in the remaining ten fixtures, helping push City away from the relegation zone and up into a safe 16th position in the table, forming an exciting partnership with fellow City newcomer Uwe Rösler
Uwe Rösler
Uwe Rösler is a German football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of Brentford.Rösler was previously a successful player who played for several clubs, most notably Manchester City , where he was the leading goalscorer for three consecutive seasons from 1995–96 to 1997–98, and 1...
. He began the following campaign in stunning form, scoring twice in games against 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...
, Everton and his former club Spurs. City failed to maintain their good start to the season, however, and finished the campaign in 17th position. However, Walsh had endeared himself to the City faithful, who appreciated his energetic, all-action performances. The famous Spurs match in particular demonstrated Walsh's skill, tenacity and determination, orchestrating the destruction of Spurs in an unforgettable afternoon.
When new manager Alan Ball sold Walsh back to Portsmouth for £500,000 in exchange for Gerry Creaney
Gerry Creaney
Gerard 'Gerry' Creaney is a Scottish former footballer who played as a striker.-Career:Creaney began his career with Celtic, signing from the boys club and making his debut in the first team in 1989. He played 113 times for the club, scoring 36 goals...
in September 1995, fans were shocked and questioned the deal, just as the Portsmouth fans had when he was sold to City the previous year.
Portsmouth (second spell)
Walsh managed 21 more league appearances before suffering a cruciate ligamentCruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...
injury to the knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
in 1996 which brought his career to an end.
Retirement
After ending his career, Walsh has worked in the media, providing studio-based match analysis for both ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
and 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...
appearing regularly on Soccer Saturday
Soccer Saturday
Gillette Soccer Saturday is a weekly television programme broadcast on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland during the football season. The programme updates viewers on the progress of association football games in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Saturday afternoons. The current host is...
and Football First.
Walsh appears regularly for the Liverpool veterans side who have dominated the Sky Sports Masters
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...
series in recent years, usually linking up with former Portsmouth teammate John Durnin
John Durnin
John Paul Durnin is an English footballer, now retired, who scored 100 goals in 475 league appearances over a career spanning close to two decades....
.
Walsh has since taken his coaching badges. He has stated that he is currently happy in his pundit role on 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...
' Soccer Saturday
Soccer Saturday
Gillette Soccer Saturday is a weekly television programme broadcast on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland during the football season. The programme updates viewers on the progress of association football games in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Saturday afternoons. The current host is...
. He has admitted several times he was an Arsenal fan as a child.
Liverpool
Winner
- 1985–86 League ChampionshipThe Football LeagueThe Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
(Level 1) - 1985–86 Screen Sports Super CupSuper Cup (English football)The Super Cup was a one-off football club competition held in England in the 1985–86 season...
Runner Up
- 1984–85 Charity ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
- 1984–85 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...
- 1984–85 League ChampionshipThe Football LeagueThe Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
(Level 1) - 1984–85 European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
- 1986–87 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...
- 1986–87 League ChampionshipThe Football LeagueThe Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
(Level 1)