Perhaps the player in this series who has played the greatest number of games for Southampton Football Club, yet is unknown to anyone under 55.

Despite his nickname, more of which later, David Walker was born about as far away from the sea as you can get, born in Colne in East Lancashire he joined his local club Burnley playing only a minimal number of games for them until joining Saints as he approached his 24th birthday.

His Saints career started at the Baseball Ground in August 1965 and ironically ended there as well eight years later, he was brought in by Ted Bates to add some steel to a side and finally bring them that elusive promotion to the top flight, he played a big part in doing so, although he wasnt wuite a regular in his first season, he still started 27 games plus 1 off the bench as Saints won promotion.

He made the jump to the First division well and helped keep Saints up only missing three games all season and scoring his first and only goal for the club in the process.

For the next few years he would play about 3/4 of the games every season, not bad seeing as even his biggest supporters would describe him as Uncompromising and his rugged no nonsense defending earned him the nickname "Docker" amongst the Dell faithful, an illusion to his hard stature, remember this was in a team of hardmen described by Bill Shankly as "Ale House Brawlers"  Saints had their flair players, but they had plenty of those whose behaviour want exactly Saintly and Shanks was not the only manager who would complain.

1970/71 was perhaps the first season he was not a regular and for the next four seasons his opportunities would be limited, first by the John McGrath/Jimmy Gabriel partnership, then by the arrival of Jimmy Steele and the emergence of Paul Bennett, in his final season 1973/74 he would play only twice and would finish his Saints first team career at the same ground it started on as Saints were stuffed 6-2 by Derby County the polar opposite of the 3-0 win they had enjoyed there 8 1/2 years earlier on his debut.

He left to finish his footballing career in South Africa, his Saints stats reading League 189 (8) 1 goal, FA Cup 19, League cup 9, Europe 6 giving a total of 223(8) with only that solitary goal, good value for the £20,000 Saints paid for him.

He soon returned to the Southampton area after a short stay in South Africa and in 2003 was running a guest house in the New Forest, sadly Im not sure many under the age of 55 would remember much of Dave Docker Walker, which is a shame because he was a great servant to Saints over a long spell.        

Photo: Action Images

arfurdent added 12:45 - Oct 15 Was only talking about Docker Walker the other day. Great player we could do with today. Sacred the bejesus out of the opposition forwards. Nice guy who used to take his holidays in a monastry
0

ExiledSupporter added 17:42 - Oct 15 Yes I remember him too, a good guy to have in the side who was able to intimidate the opposition forwards partly by reputation and partly by forceful determination. Always a popular player with the crowds (as you say as one of a rather rugged breed of players we imported between the mid 1960s to mid 1970s) It would be interesting to know how often, if at all, he got sent off, in those days of course football really was a physical contact game and referees allowed a good deal more aggression than nowadays

0

Nidger added 20:55 - Oct 15 Yeah I remember him too. Only popular with the home crowd and can't remember him getting booked, let alone sent off. Will remember him taking out a young "upstart" Billy Bonds with a knee to the b******s and jogging off as though butter wouldn't melt. Great days though I fear he wouldn't last 5 minutes these days. On the subject of Shankly, I saw the tackle from Mc
0

Nidger added 20:59 - Oct 15 OOps, pushed the wrong button. I saw Mcgraths tackle on Alun Evans that resulted in him being stretchered off and producing big mouths outburst. Poor lad ran into a "brick wall" and had all the wind knocked out of him. Bit like Theo Friday night, though that was a foul. Thought Mc Grath was a bit unlucky.
0

Stmike added 22:37 - Oct 15 Thanks for the reminder. My first two games, aged 8, were the Ipswich away mauling 7-0 followed by the thrashing 6-2 Derby County. My memories from the latter include the white boots worn by Alan Hinton and the extra long hair of Eric Martin. I was a bit of a jinks for seasons and it wasn't until Easter 1978, Luton away, that the curse was finally lifted
0

LanzaSaint added 11:51 - Oct 16 I have been a Saints supporter for over fifty years, and a regular reader of The Ugly Inside. Until now, I have not bothered to add comments, but Docker Walker is one of my all time heroes. I remember the great story of the FA sponsored coaching seminar when the presenter was asked the difference between skill and technique. The presenter thought for a moment then said that skill was being able to control the ball instantly, swerve your hips, and change direction taking the ball with you. Technique was being able to do that on a wet Wednesday night match at The Dell with Docker Walker up your arse. The seminar delegates understood immediately!

0

LostBoys added 02:08 - Oct 17 I had the pleasure of meeting David Walker and he was an intelligent well spoken very nice guy - until he set foot on a football field.
0

boaty69er added 11:09 - Apr 22 David Walker passed away yesterday 20/04/2015 at his home in Hythe sounded by his Family,a great man and and Honour to know him.
1

Blogs 31 bloggers

Leicester City Polls