Andy Walker will be around 300 miles away in Glasgow when Sheffield United and Arsenal go head to head at Bramall Lane next week with a place in the last eight of the FA Cup at stake.

 

But with the winners set to face Bolton in the sixth round, the former Scotland striker will be keeping a close eye on the outcome of what promises to be a high-octane showdown.

 

Victory for the Yorkshiremen would see two of Walker's former clubs meeting at the Reebok Stadium looking to reach the last four.

 

On the other hand, an Arsenal triumph would give Walker a chance to re-live the memory of the most important goal of a career that featured over 150 goals in more than 400 games for Motherwell, Celtic, Bolton, the Blades and Ayr United.

 

The date? February 9, 1994. The venue? Highbury. The occasion? An FA Cup fourth-round replay. The result? A 3-1 extra-time victory for Bolton. The scorer of the decisive third goal? Andy Walker.

 

Yet those stark statistics cannot begin to tell the story of an emotional night for Walker, whose Bolton career had been blighted by a serious knee injury almost a year earlier.

 

"There had been whispers that my career might be over but I never saw it that way at all," says Walker, 39, now a sports columnist on the Sunday Mail in Glasgow.

 

"Bolton had been promoted from the old Second Division the previous season but I'd missed the last six games because of the injury.

 

"I was finally fit enough to be named as one of the subs for the game at Highbury the following February and I was sent on for the last 10 minutes or so. It was a big moment.

 

"I might easily have scored with the last kick of normal time but instead I almost hit the corner flag, which proved I was a bit rusty! Then late into extra-time, I got another chance and this time I didn't miss.

 

"It's a night I'll never forget. I suspect Arsenal will probably win the replay next week and if so, the memories will certainly come flooding back.

 

"I had four wonderful years at Bolton and during my time there we won promotion and beat Liverpool, Everton and Villa in Cup matches. But that night at Highbury was probably the highlight of my career."

 

Walker, who scored 55 goals in 78 games for Bolton and was capped three times by Scotland, rejoined Celtic in 1994 and apart from a couple of years with Sheffield United, played the rest of his football north of the border.

 

His career swerve into the media came five years ago. "I'd taken all my coaching badges and fully expected to move on to that side when I finished playing," says Walker, who also works as a radio and television pundit.

 

"But somehow I couldn't get my foot in the door. I was in my early 30s, I had a wife and four kids to support and I had to make a living. Then I got a call from the Sunday Herald.

 

"They were looking for a player who would write a weekly column, which had to be his own work and not just a chat over the phone to a journalist in the office. I decided to give it a bash.

 

"Obviously I needed some help from the professionals at first but I adapted quickly and enjoyed it a lot. So I pursued other forms of media work, which led to jobs in radio and television and eventually a move to the Sunday Mail."

 

Inevitably his decision to cross the great divide from player to pundit set him on a collision course with his former profession, a confrontation he doesn't shirk.

 

"If I'm on the radio or television, I'm obliged to make an honest assessment and if I'm talking about former team-mates and particularly former clubs, it can be difficult.

 

"But I just call it as I see it and if I upset people, so be it. That is the nature of the job."

wife and 4 kids.

 

played for celtic.

 

 

some connection there ?

that night at Highbury was probably the highlight of my career

 

Funny, when he was with us and asked questions like that - he always hinted that the games between Celtic and Rangers had been his career highlight and winning trophies with Celtic. This always frustrated me as a fan. Cos you knew when the microphone went across to McGinlay - he was always overjoyed

 

I guess being in the media now, he's wised up.... a case of horses for courses.... tell them what they want to hear.

that night at Highbury was probably the highlight of my career

 

Funny, when he was with us and asked questions like that - he always hinted that the games between Celtic and Rangers had been his career highlight and winning trophies with Celtic. This always frustrated me as a fan. Cos you knew when the microphone went across to McGinlay - he was always overjoyed

 

I guess being in the media now, he's wised up.... a case of horses for courses.... tell them what they want to hear.

 

to be fair the interview after the liverpool game when he says playing for celtic v rangers and winning the cup in scotland were better seemed fair enough.

 

supa was 'chuffed to bits'

 

 

we should get andy walker to do half time draw at bolton.

we should get andy walker to do half time draw at bolton.

 

 

I might let him have the last drag of mine.

that night at Highbury was probably the highlight of my career

 

Funny, when he was with us and asked questions like that - he always hinted that the games between Celtic and Rangers had been his career highlight and winning trophies with Celtic. This always frustrated me as a fan. Cos you knew when the microphone went across to McGinlay - he was always overjoyed

 

I guess being in the media now, he's wised up.... a case of horses for courses.... tell them what they want to hear.

 

to be fair the interview after the liverpool game when he says playing for celtic v rangers and winning the cup in scotland were better seemed fair enough.

 

supa was 'chuffed to bits'

 

 

we should get andy walker to do half time draw at bolton.

 

 

only 30% of the crowd would know who he was

55 goals in 78 games

 

ragging legend.

Dutch Bird

 

Who the devils that on your avator?

55 goals in 78 games

 

ragging legend.

 

when we signed him a 'mate' of mine commented that buying a striker was a bad mood as we already had reeves and philiskirk. :oops:

Dutch Bird

 

Who the devils that on your avator?

 

Famke Janssen =P~ =P~

55 goals in 78 games

 

ragging legend.

 

when we signed him a 'mate' of mine commented that buying a striker was a bad mood as we already had reeves and philiskirk. :oops:

 

and..i think, andy kennedy

 

 

walker was very, very good for us, but was he any more a 'legend' than michael ricketts?

Still reckon he's the best natural finisher I have ever seen.

55 goals in 78 games

 

ragging legend.

 

when we signed him a 'mate' of mine commented that buying a striker was a bad mood as we already had reeves and philiskirk. :oops:

 

and..i think, andy kennedy

 

 

walker was very, very good for us, but was he any more a 'legend' than michael ricketts?

 

yes by a ragging country mile.

 

a legend stands the test of time.

 

micheal 'kfc' ricketts out of his depth in leeds reserves.

55 goals in 78 games

 

ragging legend.

 

when we signed him a 'mate' of mine commented that buying a striker was a bad mood as we already had reeves and philiskirk. :oops:

 

and..i think, andy kennedy

 

 

walker was very, very good for us, but was he any more a 'legend' than michael ricketts?

 

ricketts 37 in 97 (most as sub)

 

so yea he is...

We've had some very good players in recent years, Youri was obviously a level above anyone. However take that difference and multiply it by about 10 and that's somewhere like how much better Andy was than anyone else we had at the time.

each to their own

 

hows about ricketts left us the week after his england appearance

 

would you ahve felt differently, as i assume walker is being judged on his time with us

 

not his efforts elsewhere?

 

btw i'd agree with mickbrown that andy walker was special

 

shame hes not with us now, at his best, so we could judge him against better than exeter n southend etc

stan do you think ricketts is fit to clean the house of the woman whose son drives the bus that bloke who puts the laces in walkers boots goes to work in ?

You are missing the point Stanley, he wouldn't get a game now. He was the catalyst for everything, the messiah, head, shoulders, torso and legs above anything else AT THE TIME.

i'd put ricketts in the best half dozen strikers i've seen playing for us

 

BECAUSE he proved himself in the top league

 

Walker never got the chance, cept the cup games

 

whether he could've done, i don't know

 

i suspect ricketts could have scored 35 in a season in that third world shite

as he is doing now you mean ?

 

 

are you not answering the question ?

 

and can you name 5 better strikers you have seen playing for bolton.

 

 

better than the messiah i mean ?

Players become "legends" for not only their skill and talent, but also their attitude, effort and the way they carry themselves.

 

Remember on the Roadrunner video, Walker calling Dave Higson a Legend??

 

And the fella wasn't scared of lamping big centre halves twice his weight. Somehow that seems to matter...

 

Andy Walker - LEGEND

And the fella wasn't scared of lamping big centre halves twice his weight

 

 

thats not fair

 

where is mr ricketts going to find somebody twice his weight

You are missing the point Stanley, he wouldn't get a game now. He was the catalyst for everything

 

 

why are you talking about phil neal?

 

what has he got to do with this thread?

His signing was the turning point which stopped the rot and set us on the path to where we are today.

 

Can just see him now wheeling away with his hand in the air after bagging one at Burnden.

as he is doing now you mean ?

 

 

are you not answering the question ?

 

and can you name 5 better strikers you have seen playing for bolton.

 

 

better than the messiah i mean ?

 

 

stan, for once you have shut the fcuk up.

 

bet you spend the afternoon shouting at the workers.