*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Charlie Walker
Appearances: 78 Goals: 0
Date / Year of birth: 14th May 1911
Position: Centre-back / Left-back
Season of first appearance: 1934/35
Season of last appearance: 1947/48
Also played for: Manchester United (0), Arsenal (0), West Ham United (121,0) and Ashford Town
5' 10" tall Nottingham-born defender raised in Sheffield who began his career at Manchester United before moving to London where he joined Arsenal.
Early in 1935 Charlie moved to Margate on loan as part of the 'nursery' arrangement the club had with the Gunners.
He made his debut at left-back in a 1-1 draw with Dartford at Hartsdown Park on 16.2.35 and stayed at Margate until the end of the 1935/36 campaign making 66 appearances in all and scoring four times.
After initially returning to Highbury Charlie later joined West Ham and he went on to make 121 first team appearances there spanning the 1936/37-1939/40 seasons before World War II began. He also turned out for the Hammers during the conflict, making 65 appearances without scoring, and was a member of the side that beat Blackburn 1-0 to win the Football League War Cup Final at Wembley in 1940.
At the start of the war Charlie was initially enlisted into the police, along with many other footballers, but as some his friends had joined the armed forces he decided to sign up for the RAF. Whilst serving on the Burma border in India towards the end of the war Charlie played for an England side against a Scottish X1 in several services games that took place as part of an 'All India' tour.
When hostilities ended Charlie returned to Margate and became player-manager on a £7 per week contract when the club re-formed for the 1946/47 season. He was an influential player for the club as they won the Kent League title and he made a total of 34 appearances without scoring during the campaign as a left-back or centre-back. In his central role Charlie often marked his opposing centre-forward out of the game and he was particularly strong in the air.
During the 1947/48 season Charlie made a further 44 appearances without scoring in another Kent League title winning campaign and played as well as ever in Margate's defence. On 6.5.48 he was part of the side that beat visitors Ramsgate 2-1 to win the Kent League Cup Final and on 8.5.48 Charlie played at centre-back as Margate won 4-1 at Gravesend & Northfleet to claim the Kent Senior Shield, completing a three trophy haul for the season. It was his last outing for the club.
In June 1948 Charlie was sacked as Margate's player-manager, despite winning the Kent League two years running, as the club's management committee felt that a new business interest he had - a grocery shop in Canterbury Road, Westbrook - meant that he wouldn't be able to devote enough time to Margate. Charlie's dismissal was highly controversial and a special meeting of club members was convened to discuss the possibility of him being re-instated. However the decision to terminate his contract was upheld and as a result Charlie joined Ashford as their player-manager for the 1948/49 season.
He led the Nuts & Bolts to the Kent League title at the first attempt to complete a remarkable personal treble of three championships in his first three seasons as a manager. Charlie remained in charge of Ashford until May 1951 when Ken Horrigan left Margate to take over.
Charlie then had a spell as manager of Ramsgate but the role was only part-time due to his business commitments. He left Southwood in 1953 and emigrated to the USA in 1961 aged 50.
Charlie initially lived in Plainfield, New Jersey and worked as a mechanical engineer there. He coached a local Irish side for two years during that time. He then moved to Florida where he coached the football team at the high school that his grand-daughter attended. The side had only just started playing when Charlie arrived but he led them to two local league titles.
Looking back on his career during a flying visit to the UK in September 1988 Charlie said "I was never a great player, but I was strong and reliable." With regard to his dismissal as Margate's manager he explained "it came as a complete surprise. I was never given a reason and to this day I do not know what I did wrong. I was not so much bitter as puzzled."
Charlie died on 7.5.90, a few days before his 79th birthday, and at the time he was based in Jacksonville, Florida.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1946/47 (MFC) |
34 (38) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (1ST OF 16) |
PR |
2R |
N/A |
SF |
|
Margate
won Kent League title. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1947/48 (MFC) |
44 (47) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (1ST OF 18) |
1QR |
1R |
W |
W |
|
Margate
won Kent League title. Played in Kent League Cup Final (06.05.48 - beat Ramsgate Athletic 2-1). Played in Kent Senior Shield Final (08.05.48 - beat Gravesend & Northfleet 4-1). | |||||||||