Justin Walker (footballer)

Playing career

As a youngster, Walker represented England at youth and schoolboy level and signed professional forms with Nottingham Forest in September 1992. But he failed to break into the first-team with Forest and joined Scunthorpe United in March 1997. Walker was a regular with United until he moved to Lincoln City in July 2000, playing in the 1998–99 Football League Division Three play-off final win at Wembley Stadium against Leyton Orient. After two years with Lincoln, in which he was named Player of the Season for the 2000–01 season, financial difficulties due to the ITV Digital collapse meant that Walker was released at the end of his contract.

Walker joined Exeter City in August 2002, but his solitary season with the Grecians ended in relegation from the Football League.

Walker joined Cambridge United in 2003 and suffered relegation in the 2004–05 season. Walker achieved a possibly unique hat-trick of successive relegations out of the league by playing for York City on loan for two months in the 2003–04 season.

Walker joined Chester City ahead of the 2005–06 campaign, where he was to manage just 13 league starts. With six weeks of the season remaining Chester lay bottom of the League Two table and Walker seemed set for yet another relegation experience, but a late run of wins saved City from the drop. However, Walker was released in the summer of 2006 and joined Ilkeston Town.{{Cite news |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505123247/http://www.theforgottenimp.co.uk/news1398.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |access-date=2 January 2008

On 2 August 2008, he linked up with his former Ilkeston manager Nigel Jemson at FC Halifax Town{{cite web |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120227032937/http://www.halifaxafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10437~1357036,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 February 2012 |access-date=12 August 2008 |access-date=20 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109161340/http://www.halifaxafc.co.uk/page/MatchReactionDetail/0%2C%2C10437~1368282%2C00.html |archive-date= 9 January 2009 |access-date=20 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005065441/http://www.halifaxafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10437~1462085%2C00.html |archive-date= 5 October 2011

Coaching career

On 3 September 2020, after a number of years as part of Derby County's academy staff, Justin was handed the role of Derby County's first-team development coach in Phillip Cocu's backroom team. In November 2020, he was one of the caretaker management team appointed following the dismissal of Cocu. After Wayne Rooney took sole charge shortly after, Walker returned to his first-team development role.

In November 2022, he joined Hull City as the Assistant Head coach to Liam Rosenior.

In June 2023, Walker gained his UEFA Pro Licence.

In July 2024, Walker joined Rosenior at Strasbourg.

Honours

Scunthorpe United

• Football League Third Division play-offs: 1999

References

References

1. Powell, Dave. (3 September 2020). "Former Chester midfielder Justin Walker gets key role under Philip Cocu at Derby County". Reach plc.
2. (14 November 2020). "Walker appointed to Derby caretaker management team".
3. (4 November 2022). "Liam Rosenior makes key Hull City appointment as ex-Derby County & Nottingham Forest man joins". Hull Daily Mail.
4. (28 June 2023). "Justin Walker earns UEFA Pro Licence". Hull City A.F.C..
5. Crafton, Adam. (25 July 2024). "Liam Rosenior appointed head coach at BlueCo-owned Strasbourg". The Athletic.
6. Ridley, Ian. (30 May 1999). "Scunthorpe scuttle ordinary Orient". [[The Observer]].