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The Silver Fox is remembered for some extremes of emotion at Goodison Park. And for the shortest spell of any manager in the Everton hot seat
– just 10 months.
Mike Walker's career as a footballer was nothing to write home about. Just
45 caps for Wales at U-23 level, and 8 matches on the sub's bench for the
Welsh National first team.
He had a few good seasons with Watford, when they won the old Division
Three Championship (1968-69) and reached the FA Cup semi-final (1969-70).
This was followed by a long spell with Colchester (451 appearances), during
which they twice won promotion from Division Four (1973-74 & 1976-77). He became a player-coach at Colchester before hanging up his boots after
656 matches (none in the top flight).
Mike Walker got his first chance in management at Colchester, after serving
as team coach. The highlight was reaching the Division Four play-offs in
1986-87. From there he moved on to Norwich City and 4 seasons as their reserve
team manager. Then the Silver Fox struck it lucky: In his first season as
team manager, Norwich City reached the heady position of 3rd in the Premier
League, qualifying for the Uefa Cup.
When Howard Kendall resigned over the Dion Dublin affair in 1994, Everton made their
very open courtship of Mike Walker, who was being praised for his management
of Norwich City. After a month of haggling while Jimmy Gabriel acted
as Everton's caretaker-manager, he accepted the Goodison post, much
to the chagrin of Norwich City, who successfully campaigned for compensation
from Everton.
Despite a memorable debut game for the new manager – the 6-2 hammering
of hapless Swindon Town – Everton were soon paying their own price for
this bold move as a relegation battle crept up on them. It left Everton needing
to win their last match of the season, at home to Wimbledon. And the rest,
as they say, is history...
After that miraculous survival, the only way was up... but not for Walker's
charges. One of Everton's worst-ever starts to the season saw them go 12
matches without a win, and the hounds were being readied to chase the Silver
Fox out of his Goodison lair. A solitary win against West Ham had many claiming
that the corner had been turned, but it was too little too late. In November
1994, Walker was unceremoniously sacked by Peter
Johnson – one of the few good acts of the much despised Chairman.
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