James Barry "Jimmy" Walker (born 9 July, 1973 in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire) is a professional English footballer who currently plays for Tottenham Hotspur.

[edit] Club career

[edit] Walsall

Walker joined Notts County as a trainee in July 1991 but failed to make a first appearance^[1] and moved to Walsall in August 1993, making his debut in the same month. He went on to make over 470 appearances in all competitions for Walsall in ten years,^[1] the most by any goalkeeper for the club, and became a cult hero at Bescot Stadium. While at Walsall he was a key player in three promotion seasons and won their Player of the Season award twice. He was awarded a testimonial in the summer of 2003. Walker's popularity proved such that an autobiography was commissioned to coincide with his testimonial season; ghosted by Walsall programme editor, Andrew Poole, it proved to be a relative success with fans of Walsall and of West Ham United.

Walker's successes at Walsall included promotion from Division Three in 1995 and from Division Two in 1999 and again 2001.

[edit] West Ham United

The London club acquired Walker's services from Walsall on a Bosman free transfer in the summer of 2004.^[2] Walker, who provided competition for Stephen Bywater,^[3] was the second choice goalkeeper at Upton Park but gained a regular first team place within a year of his arrival. Walker helped West Ham win promotion in 2005 but a serious knee injury in the closing stages of the play-off final^[4] saw him miss the majority of the 2005-06 season. He made his first appearance since the knee injury, and his Premiership debut at the age of 32, in a 4-2 defeat to Portsmouth in March 2006.^[5] He made only two more first team appearances but collected a FA Cup Final runners up medal as an unused substitute in May 2006.^[6] The presence of Roy Carroll and Robert Green as goalkeepers at West Ham during the 2006/07 season meant that Walker's first-team chances were limited though he remained very popular at Upton Park. He is most respected by West Ham fans for saving a penalty taken by Frank Lampard (who is an unpopular figure at Upton Park) in the League Cup in October 2004, in front of the West Ham supporters' end at Stamford Bridge.^[7] On 3 June 2009 West Ham announced that Walker had been released.^[8]

[edit] Colchester United

On 27 November 2008 Walker signed on loan for Colchester United.^[9]He made his debut for Colchester on 29 November 2008 in their 2-1 victory against Northampton Town.^[10]

[edit] Tottenham Hotspur

At the start of September 2009 at the age of 36, Walker signed a short-term contract at Tottenham Hotspur as a 3rd choice goalkeeper.^[11]

[edit] Honours

West Ham

• Play Off Final Winners: 2005
• FA Cup Runners up medal: 2006

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• James Walker career stats at Soccerbase