Roy Walker (footballer)
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Robert Wright Walker, known as Roy Walker (born 1957) is a Northern Irish football manager and former player. He is currently manager of Irish Premier League side Ballymena United.
[edit] Playing career
Born to a working class family in east Belfast, Walker began his career with Ards, before moving to Luton Town in England. He finished his playing career with Crusaders.
[edit] Managerial career
He later became manager of Crusaders, in 1994. He won the League title twice with them, before moving to Glenavon. After leaving Glenavon on July 31, 2000[1] he became a pundit for BBC Radio Ulster. Walker is also a Born-again Christian.
A boy-hood Glentoran fan, In February 2006 he was widely linked to the then vacant Glentoran job, and was actually offered the job by the club. He had to turn it down due to church and business commitments, but said he was flattered to be linked with the job.[2] The job eventually went to Paul Millar.
In May 2007 Millar was sacked as manager of Glentoran, and Walker finally realised his dream of being appointed Glens manager on 24th May.[3] However, Walker had informed the Glentoran board before his appointment that he did not have the relevant UEFA "A" coaching badge to compete in Europe, the board informed him that this was not an issue and he was therefore Glentoran manager. Less than 48 hours later, it appeared that this was a problem for Glentoran and Walker was informed by then Glentoran Director For Football Tom Dick, that Alan McDonald (at the time Glentoran 1st team Coach) had been appointed caretaker manager.[4] Roy Walker was not fired as Glentoran manager, and the resulting days became a media circus at the club, with some directors resigning.
On 29th May, Alan McDonald was appointed Glentoran manager. Roy Walker then issued a statement in the Belfast Telegraph, informing the fans of the entire situation, and revealing that he believed he was still Glentoran manager. He also revealed that he had been offered a place on the Glentoran board,[5] but McDonald refused to be part of the club if Walker assumed that position. No board member issued a statement at that time, leaving many Glentoran fans unsure of the situation. The board later released a statement saying that Walker was considering a place on the Glentoran board.[6]
On 20 May 2008, Walker was announced as the new manager of Ballymena United, following another convoluted managerial situation. After the resignation of previous manager Tommy Wright, Ballymena had initally announced Wright's assistant Jim Grattan as his successor until the appointment was vetoed by Grattan's full time employers, the Irish Football Association.[7]
