Laurie Walker (footballer)

Laurie Walker
Walker playing for Brackley Town in 2017
Personal information
Full name Laurie Dean Walker[1]
Date of birth (1989-10-14) 14 October 1989 (age 35)[2]
Place of birth Bedford, England
Height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Solihull Moors
Number 1
Youth career
2006–2009 Milton Keynes Dons
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2010 Cambridge United 1 (0)
2010–2011 Morecambe 0 (0)
2011–2012 Kettering Town 46 (0)
2012 Brackley Town 1 (0)
2012–2013 Leamington 18 (0)
2013–2015 Hemel Hempstead Town 80 (0)
2015–2017 Oxford City 41 (0)
2017 Brackley Town 39 (0)
2017–2019 Hemel Hempstead Town 81 (0)
2019–2022 Milton Keynes Dons 1 (0)
2019 → Hampton & Richmond Borough (loan) 12 (0)
2019–2020 → Chelmsford City (loan) 11 (0)
2021 → Oldham Athletic (loan) 13 (0)
2021 → Oldham Athletic (loan) 2 (0)
2021–2022 → Aldershot Town (loan) 10 (0)
2022 Stevenage 1 (0)
2022–2024 Barnet 74 (0)
2024– Solihull Moors 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:36, June 17th 2024 (UTC)

Laurie Dean Walker (born 14 October 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for National League club Solihull Moors .[3]

Career

Early career

Walker joined the academy of Milton Keynes Dons at the age of 12 and left the club in July 2009 at the end of his scholarship period.[4] Following his release, Walker had brief spells with then Conference Premier club Cambridge United and League Two club Morecambe.[2]

He made his professional debut on 6 February 2010 for Cambridge United in a 1–0 defeat away to Crawley Town.[5] With Morecambe, on 31 August 2010 Walker featured in a 1-0 first round League Trophy defeat away to Macclesfield Town.[6]

Non-League

After his exit from Morecambe at the end of the 2010–11 season, Walker went on to spend much of his career playing in non-League football for Kettering Town, Brackley Town, Leamington, Oxford City and Hemel Hempstead Town.[2] For Hemel Hempstead Town, Walker made over 180 appearances in all competitions across two spells with the club.[2]

Milton Keynes Dons

Following the mutual termination of his contract with Hemel Hempstead Town, on 1 July 2019 Walker returned to his boyhood club, newly promoted League One side Milton Keynes Dons.[7] Prior to signing, Walker had spent time training with the club's first team as well as working as one of the club's academy goalkeeping coaches.[4]

Walker was immediately loaned out to National League South club Hampton & Richmond Borough ahead of the 2019–20 season with the option of an immediate recall.[8] On 18 December 2019, Walker signed for Chelmsford City on loan.[9]

Following the conclusion of the 2019–20 season, Walker was one of nine players released by the club,[10] but re-joined on 12 August 2020 ahead of the 2020–21 campaign.[11] Walker finally made his professional first team debut for the club on 8 September 2020 in a 3–1 EFL Trophy group stage win over Northampton Town.[12]

On 13 March 2021, Walker joined League Two club Oldham Athletic on an emergency loan as cover for injured goalkeeper Ian Lawlor. At the age of 31, he made his professional league debut the same day in a 4–2 home defeat to former club Cambridge United.[13][14]

On 11 June 2021, Walker signed a contract extension to keep him at MK Dons for the 2021–22 season.[15] On 17 August 2021, Walker returned to Oldham Athletic on a seven-day emergency loan.[16] On 29 October 2021, Walker joined National League side, Aldershot Town on a short-term loan until January 2022.[17]

Stevenage

Walker joined League Two club Stevenage on a permanent transfer on 6 January 2022, as backup to Christy Pym.[18] He left the club at the end of the season.

Barnet

On 20 June 2022, Walker joined National League side Barnet on a permanent transfer from Stevenage. He was first choice keeper for most of his two-year spell with the Bees, and won the player of the year award in his first season, but later lost his place to loanee Josh Keeley. He left the club at the end of the 2023-24 season, after 90 appearances in all competitions.[19]

Career statistics

As of end of 2023-24 season
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Cambridge United 2009–10[20] Conference Premier 1 0 0 0 — 1[a] 0 2 0
Morecambe 2010–11[2] League Two 0 0 0 0 0 0 1[b] 0 1 0
Kettering Town 2011–12[2] Conference Premier 40 0 2 0 — 1[a] 0 43 0
2012–13[20] Southern Premier 6 0 3 0 — 2[c] 0 11 0
Total 46 0 5 0 0 0 3 0 54 0
Brackley Town 2012–13[2] Conference North 1 0 0 0 — 0 0 1 0
Leamington 2012–13[20] Southern Premier 18 0 — — 2[d] 0 20 0
Hemel Hempstead Town 2013–14[20] Southern Premier 43 0 6 0 — 5[e] 0 54 0
2014–15[2] Conference South 37 0 3 0 — 3[a] 0 43 0
Total 80 0 9 0 — 8 0 97 0
Oxford City 2015–16[2] National League South 41 0 0 0 — 4[a] 0 45 0
Brackley Town 2016–17[2] National League North 39 0 4 0 — 6[a] 0 49 0
Hemel Hempstead Town 2017–18[2] National League South 39 0 0 0 — 0 0 39 0
2018–19[2] National League South 42 0 2 0 — 3[a] 0 47 0
Total 81 0 2 0 — 3 0 86 0
Milton Keynes Dons 2019–20[21] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020–21[22] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 3[b] 0 3 0
2021–22[23] League One 1 0 0 0 0 0 1[b] 0 2 0
Total 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 0
Hampton & Richmond Borough (loan) 2019–20[21] National League South 12 0 — — 0 0 12 0
Chelmsford City (loan) 2019–20[21] National League North 11 0 — — 2[a] 0 13 0
Oldham Athletic (loan) 2020–21[22] League Two 13 0 — — — 13 0
2021–22[23] League Two 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0
Total 15 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 16 0
Aldershot Town (loan) 2021–22[23] National League 10 0 — — 1[a] 0 11 0
Stevenage 2021–22[23] League Two 1 0 0 0 — — 1 0
Barnet 2022–23[23] National League 45 0 4 0 — 6[f] 0 55 0
2023–24[23] National League 29 0 5 0 — 1[a] 0 35 0
Total 74 0 9 0 0 0 7 0 90 0
Career total 431 0 29 0 1 0 42 0 502 0
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
  2. ^ a b c Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
  3. ^ One appearance in FA Trophy, one in the Northamptonshire Senior Cup
  4. ^ Appearances in Southern League Cup
  5. ^ Three appearances in FA Trophy, two in Hertfordshire Senior Cup
  6. ^ Five appearances in FA Trophy, one in National League playoffs

References

  1. ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Milton Keynes Dons" (PDF). English Football League. p. 43. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "England - L. Walker - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Solihull Moors Secure Talented Goalkeeper! | Solihull Moors FC".
  4. ^ a b "Laurie Walker is a Don". Milton Keynes Dons. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Crawley Town vs. Cambridge United – 6 February 2010". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Macclesfield 1-0 Morecambe". 31 August 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  7. ^ "Laurie Walker: MK Dons sign former academy goalkeeper on free transfer". BBC Sport. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  8. ^ "Walker comes to the Beveree". Hampton & Richmond Borough. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  9. ^ "Laurie Walker signs on loan". Chelmsford City F.C. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Moore-Taylor and Reeves among the NINE released by MK Dons". Milton Keynes Citizen. 21 June 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Walker re-signs with MK Dons". Milton Keynes Dons. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  12. ^ "Report: MK Dons 3-1 Northampton Town". Milton Keynes Dons. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Walker Joins On Emergency Loan". Oldham Athletic. 13 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Oldham Athletic 2-4 Cambridge United". BBC. 13 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Walker Pens New Deal". Milton Keynes Dons. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Oldham sign MK Dons goalkeeper Laurie Walker on emergency loan". CitiBlog. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  17. ^ "NEW SIGNING: Shots Sign Walker!". Aldershot Town F.C. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Stevenage sign keeper Walker from MK Dons". Milton Keynes Citizen. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  19. ^ "RETAINED LIST 2024 – Barnet Football Club".
  20. ^ a b c d "Laurie Walker". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  21. ^ a b c "Games played by Laurie Walker in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  22. ^ a b "Games played by Laurie Walker in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  23. ^ a b c d e f "Games played by Laurie Walker in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
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