view Walker's match-by-match record
 
Jock WALKER

Town player Johnny Kidd persuaded John "Jock" Walker to try and join Swindon - tempting him with the idea of higher wages. Walker wrote to Town secretary/manager Sam Allen, who agreed to the transfer, and he joined Swindon from Glasgow Rangers at the start of the 1907/1908 season.

Walker's arrival coincided with an upturn in the Town's performances - having finished 17th the prior season, the Town ended up in fifth place, with Walker an ever-present in the Swindon line-up.

Walker was now fully established as a tough-tackling, uncompromising but skilful left back, who gave everything for the cause. A fine example of this is described by Swindon legend Harold Fleming in the 1946/47 club handbook, describing an FA Cup match at Sheffield United in 1908:

"In the second half we had the misfortune to lose Jock Walker, our left full-back, with a badly bruised thigh, brought about by an accidental kick by one of the opposing forwards. he had to leave the field and, to all intents and purposes, was finished for the game. Meanwhile, out on the field, we did our best, but we were gradually worn down and when United took the lead about twenty minutes from time the match seemed over. Then Billy Tout, our right half-back, received the ball about thirty yards from goal and, pushing it forward with one foot, let drive from well outside the penalty area. It was a regular pile driver and although the United goalkeeper covered the angle, owing to the state of the ground and the slippery nature of the ball, it was only deflected and as it dropped to the ground, we all saw that it had dropped over the goal line........ Jock Walker, who by this time was half-dressed in the dressing room, heard that we had scored the goal, he started to take off his clothes, told the trainer to get some whisky and he then stood on the table whilst the whisky was rubbed into his bruised thigh and pummelled by the closed fist of the trainer. It must have been agony, in fact I was told that the tears simply streamed down his cheeks because the pain was so intense, but he stuck it and, when the whistle blew for the start of the extra time, Jock Walker came trotting onto the field."

Swindon went on to win the match - a great giant-killing act - and were beaten in the third round by eventual winners, Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Walker was the club's first choice left-back for five more seasons - one of the most successful periods in Swindon's history, winning the Southern League championship in 1910/1911, along with three second-place finishes, reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup twice, and a Dubonnet Cup victory. Walker's form was also recognised by the Scottish international selectors, and though he often played for Scotland in an unfamiliar right back role, he won nine caps during his time at the club - including one match versus England in 1913 which saw Walker compete against Harold Fleming on the opposite team.

He left the club at the end of the 1912/1913 season to play league football with Middlesbrough, signing for a club record fee of £1,375, though he returned to guest for the Town in some of the many friendly matches they played during the First World War. When the hostilities ended, he remained in Swindon, despite still being Middlesbrough's first choice left back. Before long, he signed for Reading, hanging up his boots in 1921.

After retiring, he applied to become a director at STFC, and when this was refused, he opened a fish and chip shop in Manchester Road, where he stayed for many years.

PLAYING RECORD:

Season LEAGUE FA CUP LEAGUE CUP OTHER TOTAL
Played Gls Played Gls Played Gls Played Gls Played Gls
'15/'16 9 - - - - - - - 9 -
'12/'13 30 - 3 - 1 - - - 34 -
'11/'12 31 - 7 - - - - - 38 -
'10/'11 36 - 4 - 6 - - - 46 -
'09/'10 40 - 5 - 3 - - - 48 -
'08/'09 39 - 1 - - - - - 40 -
'07/'08 38 - 4 - - - - - 42 -
TOTAL 223 - 24 - 10 - - - 257 -


TRANSFER INFORMATION:

DATE IN/OUT TRANSFER DETAIL
Summer 1907 IN Rangers
Summer 1913 OUT Middlesbrough
£1,375


full name

John Walker


 SCOTLAND
international apps

9 apps(9 apps whilst at Swindon) 


date of birth
8 October 1882


             
             
             
             
         
             

usual positions
left back

other positions
right back

senior career
Eastern Burnside 
Cambuslang Rangers 
Burnbank Athletic 
Raith Rovers 
Beith 
Rangers 
Cowdenbeath (loan) 
SWINDON TOWN
Middlesbrough
SWINDON TOWN (guest)
Reading