John Walker (footballer, born 1876)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Birth name | John Walkin[1] | ||
Date of birth | 20 June 1876[1] | ||
Place of birth | Leith, Scotland[2] | ||
Date of death | 1 August 1900 | (aged 24)||
Place of death | Leith, Scotland | ||
Position(s) | Outside left[3] | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
Leith Primrose | |||
1898 | Leith Athletic | 9 | (5) |
1898–1899 | Heart of Midlothian | 6 | (0) |
1899–1900 | Lincoln City | 6 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
John Walker (20 June 1876 – 1 August 1900) was a Scottish footballer whose position was outside left. He was possibly the first black player to play in both the Scottish Football League and the English Football League, featuring for Leith Athletic and Heart of Midlothian for brief spells in his home country, followed by another short period with Lincoln City in England before returning due to ill health.[1]
Career
Born in
Walker joined Lincoln City of the English Football League Second Division for the 1899–1900 season and made six league appearances for the Imps during the first half of the campaign[3] before being released in January 1900 returning home to Scotland in a poor state of health and dying around six months later.[2][6]
Personal life
According to the 1881 census, Walker's mother Sarah was born in Leith (one of Scotland's main ports), and his father, also named John, was a
He died of consumption (tuberculosis) in August 1900, aged 24.[1]
Walker was not the first black footballer, being preceded by the likes of
References
- ^ a b c d e John Walker, a black professional in the Scottish and English Leagues, Andy Mitchell, Scottish Sport History, 1 October 2020
- ^ ISBN 9781526704078. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
- ^ ISBN 9781840182965. Retrieved 17 September 2018 – via London Hearts Supporters Club.
- ^ ISBN 9780415246293. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- ^ [A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players], John Litster / Scottish Football Historian magazine, October 2012
- ^ a b "The other John Walker..." Before The 'D'...Association Football around the world, 1863-1937. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- ^ Chris Arnot (20 October 1998). "The beautiful game's fear of a black face". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- ^ Dave Pendleton (6 July 2011). "Celebrating 106 Years of Black Footballers at Valley Parade". Boy From Brazil. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
External links
- Hearts player profile at London Hearts