Karen Walker (footballer)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 29 July 1969 | ||
Place of birth | Mexborough, England[1] | ||
Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1985–2004 | Doncaster Rovers Belles | ||
2004–2006 |
Leeds United Ladies | ||
International career | |||
1988–2003 | England | 86 | (41) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Karen Walker (born 29 July 1969)[2] is an English former international football centre-forward. She played for Doncaster Belles for 20 years, starting at the age of 15, and began playing for England as a teenager, making 83 appearances and scoring a record 40 goals until she retired from international football in 2003.[3] Walker's uncompromising style of play earned her the sobriquet "Wacker".[4]
Walker is particularly remembered for her performances in the
In 2007, she was part of the BBC team covering the FIFA Women's World Cup in China.[7] Later that year she was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.[3]
Club career
Walker's neighbour, Karen Skillcorn, was already playing for Doncaster Belles and recruited Walker as a fifteen-year-old. After a period as a substitute, Walker became first choice when the club's regular centre-forward became pregnant.
International career
In July 1988, Walker made her England debut as a teenager against an Italy B team in the Mundialito tournament. Scoring with her first kick of the ball inspired Walker to take her subsequent football career much more seriously.[8]
In November 2022, Walker was recognized by The Football Association as one of the England national team's legacy players, and as the 13th women's player to be capped by England.[11][12]
International goals
- Since The Football Association took over the team in 1993. Scores and results list England's goal tally first.
Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition | Scored |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | 25 September 1993 | Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana | Slovenia | 10–0 | 1995 UEFA Championship Qual. |
3 |
5 | 6 November 1993 | KVV Coxyde, Koksijde | Belgium | 3–0 | 1995 UEFA Championship Qual. |
2 |
7 | 13 March 1994 | City Ground, Nottingham | Belgium | 6–0 | 1995 UEFA Championship Qual. |
2 |
9 | 17 April 1994 | Griffin Park, Brentford | Slovenia | 10–0 | 1995 UEFA Championship Qual. |
2 |
10 | 8 June 1995 | Tingvalla IP, Karlstad | Nigeria | 3–2 | 1995 World Cup | 1 |
12 | 19 November 1995 | The Valley, London |
Croatia | 5–0 | 1997 UEFA Championship Qual. |
2 |
13 | 23 May 1998 | Sportpark Olympia, Waalwijk |
Netherlands | 1–2 | 1999 World Cup Qual. | 1 |
15 | 13 September 1998 | Stadionul Poiana, Câmpina | Romania | 4–1 | 1999 World Cup Qual. | 2 |
16 | 11 October 1998 | Wycombe |
Romania | 2–1 | 1999 World Cup Qual. | 1 |
17 | 26 May 1999 | Lugo, Emilia-Romagna | Italy | 1–4 | Friendly |
1 |
18 | 22 August 1999 | Odense Stadion, Odense |
Denmark | 1–0 | Friendly |
1 |
19 | 17 October 1999 | Sportanlagen Trinermatten, Zofingen | Switzerland | 3–0 | 2001 UEFA Championship Qual. |
1 |
20 | 20 February 2000 | Oakwell, Barnsley | Portugal | 2–0 | 2001 UEFA Championship Qual. |
1 |
21 | 30 October 2000 | Kolos Stadium, Boryspil |
Ukraine | 2–1 | 2001 UEFA Championship Qual. |
1 |
22 | 24 November 2001 | Complexo Desportivo da Gafanha, Gafanha da Nazaré | Portugal | 1–1 | 2003 World Cup Qual. | 1 |
24 | 5 March 2002 | Estádio Municipal, Lagos | Sweden | 3–6 | Algarve Cup | 2 |
25 | 7 March 2002 | Estádio Municipal, Quarteira | Scotland | 4–1 | Algarve Cup | 1 |
25 | 23 March 2002 | Zuiderpark Stadion, The Hague |
Netherlands | 4–0 | 2003 World Cup Qual. | 1 |
27 | 16 September 2002 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík | Iceland | 2–2 | 2003 World Cup Qual. | 2 |
References
- ^ "READ UP ON TONIGHT'S ENGLAND STARS". Norwich City F.C. 23 July 2002. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ^ "England:Karen Walker". FIFA. Archived from the original on 13 August 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
- ^ a b c "Hall of Fame Profile- Karen Walker". National Football Museum. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
- ^ "Karen's Diary". femaleSOCCER.net. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ Karen Walker – FIFA competition record (archived)
- ^ "Yankey delighted by Cup final win". BBC Sport. 1 May 2006. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
- ^ "BBC to follow England in Fifa Women's World Cup China 2007 – live coverage on BBC Two". BBC. 22 August 2007. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
- ^ ISBN 0-7493-2085-0.
- ^ "1991–1992". The Owl Football Historian. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
- ^ Galvin, Robert. "Karen Walker". National Football Museum. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
- ^ "ENGLAND PLAYER LEGACY AND RESULTS ARCHIVE" (Press release). The Football Association. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
- ^ Lacey-Hatton, Jack (18 November 2022). "Lionesses introduce 'legacy numbers' for players past and present". Mirror. Retrieved 19 June 2023.