Ian Walker

Football player infobox
playername = Ian Walker


fullname = Ian Michael Walker
nickname = Ian Walker Texas Ranger
height = height|m=1.88
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1971|10|31
cityofbirth = Watford
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Bolton Wanderers
clubnumber = 12
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1989–2001
1990
1990
2001–2005
2005–
clubs = Tottenham Hotspur
→ Oxford United (loan)
→ Ipswich Town (loan)
Leicester City
Bolton Wanderers
caps(goals) = 260 (0)
002 (0)
000 (0)
140 (0)
000 (0)
nationalyears = 1990–1993
1996–2004
1998
nationalteam = England U21
England
England B
nationalcaps(goals) = 009 (0)
004 (0)
001 (0)
pcupdate = 24/12/2006
ntupdate = 24/12/2006

Ian Michael Walker (born October 31, 1971 in Watford) is an English footballer currently playing for Bolton Wanderers, having spent most of his career with Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.

Biography

Walker is the son of former Wales goalkeeper, and Norwich City and Everton manager Mike Walker.

Walker was for many years the primary goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur, starting out with them as a trainee and having two loan spells, for Ipswich and Oxford. Walker made 240 premiership appearances for Tottenham, but was transferred to Leicester City in July 2001 for £2,500,000, after the signing of Neil Sullivan.

Walker spent four years at Leicester before being released on 6 May 2005 and joining Bolton on a one year contract. Walker was the goalkeeper for Bolton's first ever European match away from England against Bulgarian team Lokomotiv Plovdiv In May 2006 Walker was rewarded for his patience in not playing a single league game by being given a further two year contract.

In May 2008, and still without a league appearance to his name, Walker was offered a new deal by Bolton manager Gary Megson

International

Walker has been capped for the England national team four times, making his debut in 1996 against Hungary. His most infamous game was against Italy in a qualification match for the 1998 World Cup where he is widely believed to have been at fault to a Gianfranco Zola strike. England lost this game to Italy 1:0 at Wembley Stadium. He backed up David James at Euro 2004 but has now been overtaken by others in the pecking order.

Career honours

;Tottenham Hotspur F.C.:Winner:* 1998–99 League Cup

Personal life

Walker and his former Page Three wife Suzi lived in a mock-Tudor mansion in Cobham, Surrey, as featured on MTV Cribs. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml?xml=/property/2006/10/17/ppast17.xml Living in the past (with all mod cons) - Telegraph ] ] After the birth of daughter Sophie in 1998, Suzi suffered Post Natal Eclampsia [ [http://www.iconocast.com/News_Files/HNews23X23_X_05/Health7.htm Info on Health, Medical News, Healthy Living, Healthy Eating, Health News, Diet, Cancer, Cholesterol, Depression, Kidney, Migraine, Smoking ] ] , and is an on-going sufferer of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis [ [http://www.celebagents.co.uk/Celebs/43/Suzi_Walker.html Suzi Walker - Celebrity Agents, International Celebrity Agents, Personal Management & PR To TV/Radio and Sports Stars ] ]

In November 2006, Suzi admitted Walker had met dancer Samantha Thurman, 33 [ [http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006510148,00.html Bolton keeper's blonde catch | The Sun |HomePage|News ] ] , from Miami on a property investment trip to Las Vegas in May. [ [http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2006500803,00.html The Sun Online | The Best for News, Sport and Showbiz | The Sun ] ] .

References

External links

* [http://www.burndenaces.co.uk/players/profile.php?id=67 Bolton Wanderers Profile] at [http://www.burndenaces.co.uk/ Burnden Aces]
* [http://www.boltonwanderers.us/squad/ian-walker/ Profile] at Boltonwanderers.us
*soccerbase|id=8234|name=Ian Walker