Paul Walsh

Paul Walsh was born to Don and June Walsh in Plumstead on 1 October 1962; his father was an electrician and his mother worked at Tate & Lyle. He grew up supporting Arsenal. However, his father was a season-ticket holder at West Ham United. Despite his natural skill, his small stature meant he was frequently overlooked in junior football. He was spotted playing for local youth side Londinium by Charlton Athletic scout Jim Fibbins and signed schoolboy forms aged 14. In a 1986 interview with Shoot magazine, Walsh cited Londinium manager John O'Connor as the biggest influence on his career. After leaving school he also began working part-time at a meat factory and later a fruit packing factory before he joined Charlton on a full-time basis.

Charlton Athletic

Walsh made his debut for the Reserves in September 1978, playing right midfield against Portsmouth at Fratton Park. He made his first team debut in the English Football League at 16 years old, coming on as a half-time substitute for Dick Tydeman in a Second Division fixture with Shrewsbury Town on 22 September 1979; he provided the assist for Martin Robinson's winning goal. Manager Andy Nelson handed him his first professional contract on his 17th birthday, a two-year contract paying £100 a week. However, Nelson was sacked the following March, and the "Addicks" were relegated into the Third Division at the end of the 1979–80 season. Following the sale of Mike Flanagan to Crystal Palace, new manager Mike Bailey…

Walsh was selected for the England youth team's summer trip to the Adria Cup at Yugoslavia in 1979. He was selected for the 1980 UEFA European Under-18 Championship in East Germany, which England won, though he made only two substitute appearances during the tournament. Soon after signing for Luton Town in 1982, he became a regular in the England under-21 side during the 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He played both legs against Greece, and scored the winning goal against Hungary to take England into the knock-out stages. Walsh won his first senior England cap under Bobby Robson on 12 June 1983, in a 0–0 friendly draw with Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground during a two-week tour of the continent. Three days later he scored the only goal of the game against Australia in the second match of the tour at Brisbane's Lang Park. He then went on to secure his third cap within the space of seven days in a 1–1 draw with Australia at the Olympic Park Stadium. He earned a fourth cap playing alongside club-mate Brian Stein in a 2–0 defeat to France at Parc des Princes on 29 February 1984. The last of his five senior appearances for England came on 2 May 1984 in a 1–0 British Home Championship defeat to Wales at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground.

"If he can't motivate himself to play in a European Under-21 final, he's not for me."

In 1986, Bob Paisley described Walsh as an "individualist" best suited for a lone striker role due to his selfish play, tremendous pace and dribbling ability. He was able to shoot powerfully with both feet. He had an aggressive temperament, which led to occasional bookings and red cards for ill-discipline.

"Paul Walsh can play teams on his own some days. When he's buzzing and bubbling he whizzes around the field like a cartoon character with the ball tied to his boot. It's like watching a film that's running too fast. You want to slow it down in order to appreciate all the tricks he's getting up to. He might beat a defender on the outside, then turn back and go inside him and then beat him once again for luck."

He married Bev in 1990, and the couple had their first child, Jordan, on 12 January 1991. They had another son, Mason, on 22 November 1995, who turned professional at AFC Bournemouth in April 2014. Walsh published his autobiography, Wouldn't It Be Good, in 2015. His son, Mason, played for Bognor Regis Town.