Roy Walker (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Wright Walker, known as Roy Walker (born 1957) is a football
manager and former player. He is currently manager of Irish Premier League
side Ballymena United
.
, Walker began his career with Torrin Boys youth club, before moving to Luton Town
in England
. He returned to Northern Ireland to play for Ards
, Glenavon
, and Portadown
. He finished his playing career with Crusaders
.
Walker is also a Born-again Christian.
.
.
On 29 May, Alan McDonald was appointed Glentoran manager. Roy Walker then issued a statement in the Belfast Telegraph, informing the fans of the entire situation, and revealing that he believed he was still Glentoran manager. He also revealed that he had been offered a place on the Glentoran board, but McDonald refused to be part of the club if Walker assumed that position. No board member issued a statement at that time, leaving many Glentoran fans unsure of the situation. The board later released a statement saying that Walker was considering a place on the Glentoran board.
Glenavon
Individual
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...
manager and former player. He is currently manager of Irish Premier League
Irish Premier League
The IFA Premiership – formerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football League–and still known in popular parlance simply as the Irish League, is the national football league in Northern Ireland, and was historically the league for the whole of Ireland. Clubs in the league are...
side Ballymena United
Ballymena United F.C.
Ballymena United, is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club hails from the town of Ballymena, County Antrim and plays its home matches at Ballymena Showgrounds. Club colours are sky blue and white. Away Colours are Red and BlackThe club was...
.
Playing career
Born to a working class family in east BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Walker began his career with Torrin Boys youth club, before moving to Luton Town
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...
in 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...
. He returned to Northern Ireland to play for Ards
Ards F.C.
Ards F.C. is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in IFA Championship 1. The club, founded in 1900, is from Newtownards, but plays its home matches at Dixon Park in Ballyclare, which it shares with Ballyclare Comrades...
, Glenavon
Glenavon F.C.
Glenavon F.C. is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1889, hails from Lurgan and plays its home matches at Mourneview Park...
, and Portadown
Portadown F.C.
Portadown F.C. is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club which plays in the IFA Premiership.The club was founded in the late 1880s and joined the Irish League in 1924. It is based in Portadown in County Armagh and plays its home games at Shamrock Park...
. He finished his playing career with Crusaders
Crusaders F.C.
Crusaders Football Club is a semi-professional, Northern Irish association football club, playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1898, hails from Belfast and plays its home matches at Seaview. Club colours are red and black. The current manager is Stephen Baxter, appointed in 2005...
.
Walker is also a Born-again Christian.
Crusaders F.C.
He later became player-manager of Crusaders, in 1989. Walker was a player with Crusaders and was appointed manager in 1989. Walker brought huge success to the North Belfast club by winning the Irish League in 1995 and 1997, also winning the Gold Cup in 1996, the Ulster Cup in 1994, the County Antrim Shield in 1992, and the Stena Line Trophy in 1997, the same year he won the league. Walker stunned not only Crusaders fans but the whole Irish League by resigning from the club in 1998. He later became manager of GlenavonGlenavon F.C.
Glenavon F.C. is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1889, hails from Lurgan and plays its home matches at Mourneview Park...
.
Glenavon F.C.
Walker became manager of the Lurgan Blues hoping to bring success as he did with Crusaders. He did bring a little success to Glenavon by winning the local Mid-Ulster Cup in 1999. Walker resigned in 2000. After leaving Glenavon on July 31, 2000 he became a pundit for BBC Radio UlsterBBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster is one of two Northern Irish BBC radio stations, the other being BBC Radio Foyle located in the city of Derry. BBC Radio Ulster is located at Broadcasting House in the Ormeau Avenue area of Belfast city centre...
.
Glentoran
After becoming a co-commentator for Northern Ireland's local radio show BBC Radio Ulster for Sportssound (the football show to cover all games and bring the final scores) Walker showed a huge interest in becoming new Glentoran manager after the sacking of Paul Miller. In May 2007 Millar was sacked as manager of Glentoran, and Walker finally realised his dream of being appointed Glens manager on 24 May. However, Walker had informed the Glentoran board before his appointment that he did not have the relevant UEFA "A" coaching badge to compete in Europe, the board informed him that this was not an issue and he was therefore Glentoran manager. Less than 48 hours later, it appeared that this was a problem for Glentoran and Walker was informed by then Glentoran Director For Football Tom Dick, that Alan McDonald (at the time Glentoran 1st team Coach) had been appointed caretaker manager. Roy Walker was not fired as Glentoran manager, and the resulting days became a media circus at the club, with some directors resigning.On 29 May, Alan McDonald was appointed Glentoran manager. Roy Walker then issued a statement in the Belfast Telegraph, informing the fans of the entire situation, and revealing that he believed he was still Glentoran manager. He also revealed that he had been offered a place on the Glentoran board, but McDonald refused to be part of the club if Walker assumed that position. No board member issued a statement at that time, leaving many Glentoran fans unsure of the situation. The board later released a statement saying that Walker was considering a place on the Glentoran board.
Ballymena United
After failing for the Uefa badges as Glentoran, Walker was appointed new manager of Ballymena United. Walker has came close to a few cup finals but losing in the quarter finals and knock out stages. Walker is currently still with the club. On 20 May 2008, Walker was announced as the new manager of Ballymena United, following another convoluted managerial situation. After the resignation of previous manager Tommy Wright, Ballymena had initially announced Wright's assistant Jim Grattan as his successor until the appointment was vetoed by Grattan's full time employers, the Irish Football Association.Honours
Crusaders- Irish LeagueIFA PremiershipThe IFA Premiership – formerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football League–and still known in popular parlance simply as the Irish League, is the national football league in Northern Ireland, and was historically the league for the whole of Ireland. Clubs in the league are...
(2): 1994/95, 1996/97 - Gold CupGold Cup (Northern Ireland)The Gold Cup is a now-defunct cup competition which involved competitors from Ireland and from 1921 onwards, just for Northern Ireland. It was initially run by the New Irish Football Association but later, and mainly, by the Irish Football Association....
(1): 1995-96 - Ulster CupUlster CupThe Ulster Cup was an annual football competition held by the Irish Football League for senior clubs. It was held on fifty-one occasions until being suspended after the 1998/99 season and discontinued after a one-off re-appearance in 2002/03. The last three editions were only open to First...
(1): 1993/94 - County Antrim ShieldCounty Antrim ShieldThe County Antrim Shield is a football competition in Northern Ireland. The competition is open to senior teams who are members of the North East Ulster Football Association , often plus intermediate teams who...
(1): 1991-92 - Stena Line Trophy (1): 1996/97
Glenavon
- Mid-Ulster CupMid-Ulster CupThe Mid-Ulster Cup is a senior football competition in Northern Ireland run by the Mid-Ulster Football Association.First held in 1887, the inaugural edition was won by Milford. For 30 seasons, from 1947/48 to 1977/78, while remaining a senior competition, senior clubs declined to take part, instead...
(1): 1998/99
Individual
- Northern Ireland Football Writers Manager of the Year - 1997