Mike Walker

Colwyn Bay-born Walker started his playing career as a goalkeeper with Reading in January 1963. He joined Shrewsbury Town in June 1964 and also played for York City, Watford, Charlton Athletic and most notably Colchester United, for whom he made 363 league appearances. Perhaps the most memorable moment in Walker's playing career came when lower division Watford knocked Bill Shankly's Liverpool out of the FA Cup in February 1970, in what was considered to be a major cup upset and a result, and which convinced Shankly of the need to dismantle his ageing side and begin building a new team. Walker was inducted into the Colchester United Hall of Fame in the 2009–10 season, in recognition for his service to the club as a player and manager. Also inducted that season was Walker's former Watford and Colchester teammate Mick Packer.

Walker had a brief spell in charge of Colchester United in 1986 but was sacked in 1987 whilst top of the league. He then took charge of the Norwich City reserve team in 1987. On 1 June 1992, he was promoted to the position of manager at Carrow Road and gave Norwich their highest-ever league finish in the new FA Premier League where they finished third and qualified for the 1993/94 UEFA Cup — the first time they had qualified for European competition - having missed out three times between 1985 and 1989 due to the ban on English clubs arising from the Heysel disaster. Norwich had led the league by eight points at one stage during the first half of the season, with impressive victories including a 4-2 away win over Arsenal on the opening day. Norwich achieved a famous victory over FC Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup Second Round before being knocked out by the eventual winners, Internazionale. Due to his notable achievements at a relatively small club such as Norwich, Walker was felt by many commentators at this time to be one of the most promising new managers in English football, and he was praised for the positive, attack-minded passing game played by his Norwich side, who began the 1993-94 season well, comfortably in the top half of a league table in which Manchester United were runaway leaders on their way to a second successive title. Walker quit Norwich in January 1994, following a long running feud with Chairman Robert Chase (mainly centring on Chase's habit of selling…

Walker is the father of Ian Walker, former England goalkeeper. He also has a son and a daughter. His wife and the mother of his children, Jacqueline "Jackie" Walker, died on 3 November 1997 after a long battle against cancer.

Player

Watford

Football League Third Division: 1968–69 Individual

Colchester United Player of the Year: 1979–80, 1980–81, 1982–83

Manager

Individual

Premier League Manager of the Month: October 1993