Steve Walsh (footballer)

Infobox Football biography
playername = "Steve Walsh"


fullname = Steve Walsh
height = 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1964|11|3
cityofbirth = Fulwood, Lancashire
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Wimbledon Foxes
clubnumber = 5
position = Defender/Striker
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1982-1986
1986-2000
2000-2001
2001-2002
2002
2002-2003
clubs = Wigan Athletic
Leicester City
Norwich City
Tamworth
Coventry City
Tamworth
caps(goals) = 126 0(4)
369 (53)
04 (0)
0? (?)
02 (0)
0? (?)
pcupdate =

Steven Walsh (born November 3, 1964) is a former professional footballer, who spent most of his career at Leicester City. He also played for Wigan, Norwich, Tamworth and Coventry City, over a career lasting 21 years. He was a defender and an occasional striker. He is the record holder for the most red cards in the Football League, 13, an unenviable mark that he holds jointly with Roy McDonough. [ [http://football.guardian.co.uk/news/theknowledge/0,9204,984768,00.html "Away penalties at Old Trafford"] , Sean Ingle, Barry Glendenning and Matt Cunningham, The Guardian, 26 June 2003] [ [http://www.football-league.premiumtv.co.uk/page/RecordDisciplinary/0,,10794,00.html "Football League Records: Disciplinary"] , The Football League, "accessed 04 December 2007"] In 2007 the PFA voted him as the greatest Leicester City player in the club's history. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A29619147"BBC Website: Who is your best ever player?"] ]

Early Life and start of career

Born in Fulwood, Lancashire, Walsh won the 1984-85 Freight Rover Trophy with Wigan before following Bryan Hamilton to Leicester for £100,000, where he soon established himself as a non-nonsense central defender. In 1986 he received an eleven match ban after smashing the jaw of striker David Geddis, whilst playing for Leicester against Shrewsbury, part of his often violent reputation which included a longstanding rivalry with Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Steve Bull which led to both being sent off in separate matches.

Leicester City

Brian Little made Walsh Leicester's club captain in 1992 and in 1992-93 started playing him as a striker, scoring fifteen goals that season including one in the Division 1 play-off final against Swindon Town at the end of that season. In 1993-94 he scored twice as Leicester won the final and promotion to the Premier League over Derby County, having missed much of that season due to a cruciate knee ligament injury. Injury kept him out for most of that top flight season too, but he was returned to the captaincy by Martin O'Neill for the 1995-96 play-off final victory over Crystal Palace, a position he retained for the successful 1996-97 season, lifting the Coca-Cola Cup at Hillsborough having set up Emile Heskey's goal in the first game and Steve Claridge's winner in the replay. (This was also his testimonial season, the likes of Paul Gascoigne and David Seaman playing in his benefit game.) He was also captain when City lost what was now the Worthington Cup final to Tottenham Hotspur in 1999.

After Leicester

Peter Taylor let Walsh leave Leicester in 2000, and after unsuccessful short spells at Norwich and Coventry he coached junior soccer schools and ran a golf course in Spain. Still a cult favourite at the club, he currently writes a weekly column for the Leicester Mercury and has formed an events company with England Rugby player Neil Back and another business partner. On October 25, 2007, Walsh revealed that he wanted the vacant managerial position at Leicester City, following the departure of Gary Megson to Bolton [ [http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11712_2824547,00.html Walsh wants Foxes job] , Sky Sports 2007-10-25. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.] . However, the job was eventually given to Ian Holloway. Since the sacking of Ian Holloway as Leicester Manager on 24th May 2008, he has again been linked with speculation regarding the vacancy.

Honours

;Leicester City
*Winner
**League Cup: 1996/97
*Runner-up
**League Cup: 1998/99

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=8267|name=Steve Walsh
* [http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/walsh-steve.htm Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk]
* [http://www.walsh5.co.uk/home.php Steve Walsh Official Memorabilia website]