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Richard Martin Walker (born 8 November 1977) is an English former footballer who played as a forward for Devon and Exeter League club Beer Albion.

This article needs to be updated. (February 2021)

Richard Walker

Personal information
Full name	Richard Martin Walker
Date of birth	(1977-11-08) 8 November 1977 (age 44)
Place of birth	Birmingham, England
Position(s)	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997–2001	Aston Villa	6	(2)
1998–1999	→ Cambridge United (loan)	21	(3)
2001	→ Blackpool (loan)	18	(3)
2001	→ Wycombe Wanderers (loan)	12	(3)
2001–2004	Blackpool	62	(12)
2003–2004	→ Northampton Town	12	(4)
2004	→ Oxford United (loan)	4	(0)
2004–2009	Bristol Rovers	143	(46)
2008–2009	→ Shrewsbury Town (loan)	27	(5)
2009–2011	Burton Albion	35	(4)
2011–2012	Solihull Moors	5	(1)
2012–	Beer Albion
Teams managed
2012–2019	Beer Albion
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:00, 10 October 2018 (UTC)

Career

Early career

Walker started his career at Aston Villa in 1997. Here, he scored a goal against Arsenal, one of the highest points of his Villa career. After loan spells with Cambridge United, Blackpool[1] and Wycombe Wanderers, he signed for the Seasiders in 2001. He helped Blackpool win the 2001–02 Football League Trophy, playing as a substitute in the final.[2] Walker was loaned out to Northampton Town and Oxford United in the 2003–04 season, before joining Bristol Rovers in the summer of 2004.

Bristol Rovers

A natural goalscorer, he formed a formidable partnership with Junior Agogo before the Ghanaian was sold to Nottingham Forest. Walker scored two goals in the 2007 League Two Play-off Final against Shrewsbury at Wembley, as the Gasheads secured a 3–1 victory to send them up to League One.

Walker was placed on the transfer list at the end of the 2007–08 season,[3] having scored only four goals in that season, all from the penalty spot. He joined Shrewsbury on a full-season loan in the summer of 2008, taking him up to the expiry of his contract with Bristol Rovers.[4]

Burton Albion

Following the expiry of his Bristol Rovers contract, he joined newly promoted Burton Albion in July 2009 on a two-year contract, he scored 4 goals in 35 games for the club before his release in May 2011.[5]

Solihull Moors

On 9 September 2011, Solihull Moors announced the signing of Richard Walker.[6] He made his debut the following day in a 1–0 away win at Boston United.[7] He scored his first goal for the club on 17 September 2011, opening the scoring as Solihull overcame Altrincham 2–0 at Damson Park.[8]

Post-retirement

After having played less than a season of Conference North football, he opted to move with his family to Devon in April 2012. Following his retirement, Walker has worked in a large warehouse for Axminster Tools.[9]

He ended the season playing for Beer Albion in the Premier Division of the Devon & Exeter Football League, at level 12 of the league system, some six levels below the team where he had begun the year. He was recruited for Beer by a colleague who played for the team, and who convinced Richard to play alongside him.[10][11][12] In August 2019, Walker was announced to have stepped away from the role of player-manager, staying on at the club as a player alongside his son Jamie.[13]

Career statistics

Club	Season	League		FA Cup		League Cup		League Trophy		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Aston Villa	1997–98	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Cambridge United (loan)	1998–99	21	3	0	0	0	0	3	1	0	0	24	3
Aston Villa	1999–2000	5	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	6	2
Aston Villa	2000–01	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0
Blackpool (loan)	2000–01	18	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	18	3
Wycombe (loan)	2001–02	12	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	3
Blackpool	2001–02	21	8	0	0	0	0	2	3	0	0	23	11
	2002–03	32	4	3	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	38	4
	2003–04	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
Northampton (loan)	2003–04	12	4	4	2	0	0	3	2	0	0	19	8
Oxford Utd (loan)	2003–04	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Oxford Utd	2003–04	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Bristol Rovers	2004–05	27	10	1	1	2	1	2	2	0	0	32	14
	2005–06	46	20	3	0	1	0	1	0	1	1	52	21
	2006–07	49	16	5	4	1	1	5	1	0	0	60	22
	2007–08	24	4	4	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	31	4
Shrewsbury Town (loan)	2008–09	27	5	1	0	1	0	3	1	0	0	32	6
Burton Albion	2009–10	17	3	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	20	3
	2010–11	18	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	19	2
Solihull Moors	2011–12	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	1
Career total		347	87	24	8	10	2	24	11	2	1	408	109

Honours

Blackpool

• Football League Trophy winner: 2002

Crewe Alexandra

• Football League Second Division runner-up: 2002–03

Bristol Rovers

• Football League Trophy runner up: 2007
• Football League Two play-off winner: 2007

References

External links

• Richard Walker player profile at bristolrovers.co.uk
• Richard Walker player profile at shrewsburytown.com
• Richard Walker player profile at oufc.co.uk
• Richard Walker player profile at ntfc.co.uk
• Richard Walker player profile at blackpoolfc.co.uk
• Richard Walker at Soccerbase

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