Bobby Walker — What was his secret?
The Spy | 01/09/1930

Bobby Walker is dead — at the age of 52. He was laid to rest in Merchiston Cemetery, Edinburgh, in the presence of a great concourse of people, which included hundreds who knew him as a great footballer and many others who knew him only by the record of his achievements. Among the mourners, whose affection for Walker was deep and sincere, were colleagues of the 1900 International team, R. S. McColl, Alec Smith, John Campbell, and "Jacky" Robertson.

A PRINCE OF FORWARDS

That Booby Walker was a prince of forwards permits of no debate. It might with moderation be said that his equal is not in football to-day. His greatest admirers were the men he played against. In this connection the appraisement of his ability and his character as a sportsman voice by Mr. William Orr, the present manager of Leicester City, is expressed: 


— Bobby was the sort of player you could not beat unless you fouled him, and you cout not foul him because he was such a good sportsman. I never saw him do a shady thing on the field, and I played against him often.


Thirteen seasons with the Hearts, his one and only senior club, Bobby Walker gained 44 International and Inter-League honours. He was capped eleven times against England, a distinction so far unequalled and never likely to be equalled.

HIS SECRETS

What was the secret of his wizardry? He himself could not explain it. He was not fast on the ball, but the manner in which he scooped the ball on to a new course when about to be tackled was a natural manoeuvre which puzzled all the greatest half-backs of his time in both England and Scotland.

He would work the ball right up to an opponent as if courting a collision and then suddenly, with an easy swerve, glide off on a tangent. It was his alertness in measuring the opposition, discerning where this man was weak and another strong, that enabled him to obtain a mastery over them.

But no man was ever more generous of praise for his rivals, nor more responsive to the desire of young players for advice and counsel.