Walker Duncan Image 5 Nottingham Forest 1924

Description

Alloa born centre forward Duncan Walker started his football career in the Army during the First World War and with junior club Kilsyth Rangers in 1917 before joining Dumbarton in 1918 where he netted 33 goals in 62 matches.. He had a spell on loan with Bo’Ness in 1919 before joining Scottish First Division St Mirren in April 1921, and in the two seasons he played at Love Street, he cemented his place in St Mirren history with his prolific scoring record. Having signed toward the end of season 1920-21, he made his debut against Hearts at Easter Road (Saints home match played in Edinburgh due to reconstruction of Love Street) He played in three matches before the season ended, but did not register any goals. All that was to change in 1921-22, and it was to start in the very first game when he netted four times in a 5-0 win over Queens Park at Love Street. He followed this up with another four against Hamilton Academical three days later and he finished as the top scorer in the Scottish Football League Division One in the 1921-22 season with a massive 45 goals in just 38 League matches. Between 26th November 1921 and 14th January 1922 when he netted seventeen times in just eleven matches. The total is still a St Mirren club record. Along with his League goals he also scored 11 times in 4 Scottish Cup ties for a total of 56 goals in 42 games. A great record that will surely never be surpassed at St Mirren.

At the end of the season Saints travelled to Spain for a tour and Walker helped himself to another nine goals, including two in a match to officially open Barcelona’s new ground, Les Cortes. The following season he could not quite match his previous exploits, managing a mere 21 goals. This however was still enough to make him Saints top scorer for a second year. Having scored 76 goals in 82 appearances for The Buddies, he left Saints for Nottingham Forest in May 1923 making his Football League debut at Everton in August 1923 in a 2-1 defeat at Goodison Park, and although he didn’t score on his debut he did score in 3 of the next four, and managed 17 goals in his debut season, although only 8 more as Forest were relegated at the end of season 1924-25.

He remained in Nottingham for the next two seasons, but played only 11 more matches. He did however manage 8 goals in these matches, playing his last games in April 1927, and having scored 33 goals in 88 appearances he returned to Bo’ness in 1927, where he only played a few further matches before ending his career.