Mickey Walker (footballer)

Michael John Walker Jr. (born 10 April 1945) is an English former professional footballer and coach.

Mickey Walker
Personal information
Full name Michael John Walker Jr.
Date of birth (1945-04-10) 10 April 1945
Place of birth Harrogate, England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
Sheffield Wednesday
Rotherham United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Bourne Town
1964–1966 Bradford City 20 (1)
1966 Rotherham United 0 (0)
1966–1968 Sligo Rovers
1968 Los Angeles Wolves 22 (7)
1968–1969 Mansfield Town 2 (0)
1969–1970 Altrincham
1970–1971 Stockport County 2 (0)
1970–1971 Chesterfield 1 (0)
Macclesfield Town
Total 47 (8)
Managerial career
Nottingham Forest (Assistant Manager)
1999–2006 Doncaster Rovers (Assistant Manager)
2006–2012 Doncaster Rovers (Director of Football)
2006 Doncaster Rovers (Caretaker Manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early and personal life

Walker was born in Harrogate,[1] and grew up in Doncaster.[2] His father Mickey Sr. had played for Doncaster Rovers, Bradford City, Bradford Park Avenue and York City.[3] As a teenager he played cricket, trialling for Yorkshire Schoolboys at the age of 15, and later playing for England Schoolboys.[4]

He is married to Carol.[4]

Career

Playing career

After being told he was too short (at 5 ft 7) to play football by Doncaster Rovers, Walker played youth football with Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham United.[4] After a spell in non-league football with Bourne Town, he turned professional with Bradford City in October 1964.[5] He made 20 appearances in the Football League (scoring 1 goal) for Bradford City,[6] before returning to Rotherham United in March 1966.[5] He then moved to Sligo Rovers in Ireland later in 1966.[4]

He spent the 1968 season with the Los Angeles Wolves of the North American Soccer League, scoring 7 goals in 22 games.[7]

He later played for Mansfield Town, Altrincham, Stockport County, Chesterfield and Macclesfield Town.[1]

Coaching career

Walker worked as a scout for Liverpool and Rangers, and as a youth team coach at Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.[8] After leaving his role as Assistant Manager at Nottingham Forest,[2] Walker has held a number of positions at Doncaster Rovers, including Assistant Manager,[9] Director of Football,[10] and Caretaker Manager.[11] He was Director of Football at Doncaster from 2006 until July 2012 when he was released as part of the club's cost cutting restructuring after relegation from the Championship.[8]

A testimonial match was held by Doncaster Rovers on 1 August 2009 in honour of Walker.[12]

Sources
  • Frost, Terry (1988). Bradford City A Complete Record 1903-1988. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 0-907969-38-0.

References
  1. "Profile". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  2. Tim Rich (9 May 2003). "Ryan the benefactor plays leading role in Doncaster's transformation". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2 July 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  3. "Mickey Walker Snr Dies". Doncaster Rovers F.C. 17 November 2004. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  4. John Brindley (1 August 2009). "MICKEY WALKER – WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW". Doncaster Rovers F.C. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  5. Frost, p. 409
  6. Frost, p. 389
  7. "Profile". NASL Jerseys. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  8. "Mickey leaves Rovers". Doncaster Rovers F.C. 4 July 2012. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  9. "Conference set for ignition". BBC Sport. 24 June 2002. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  10. "Rovers hand Walker new position". BBC Sport. 22 May 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  11. "Penney and Doncaster part company". BBC Sport. 30 August 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  12. "WALKER TESTIMONIAL: ROVERS 1 WOLVES 1". Doncaster Rovers F.C. 1 August 2009. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  • Mickey Walker at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
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