Simon Walton

For the 13th century Bishop of Norwich, see Simon Walton (bishop).
Simon Walton
Personal information
Full name Simon William Walton[1]
Date of birth (1987-09-13) 13 September 1987
Place of birth Sherburn-in-Elmet, England[2]
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[3]
Playing position Midfielder
Youth career
2003–2004 Leeds United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 Leeds United 34 (3)
2006–2007 Charlton Athletic 0 (0)
2006–2007 → Ipswich Town (loan) 19 (3)
2007 → Cardiff City (loan) 6 (0)
2007–2008 Queens Park Rangers 5 (0)
2008 → Hull City (loan) 10 (0)
2008–2012 Plymouth Argyle 61 (9)
2009 → Blackpool (loan) 1 (0)
2009–2010 → Crewe Alexandra (loan) 31 (1)
2010 → Sheffield United (loan) 0 (0)
2012–2014 Hartlepool United 73 (4)
2014–2015 Stevenage 29 (5)
2015–2016 Crawley Town 37 (4)
2016 Garforth Town 6 (0)
2016– Guiseley 8 (1)
National team
2002–2003 England U16 5 (0)
2003–2004 England U17 2 (0)
2005 England U19 2 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:20, 13 November 2016 (UTC).


Simon William Walton (born 13 September 1987) is an English footballer who last played as a midfielder for Crawley Town. Born in Sherburn-in-Elmet, he has played in the Football League for Leeds United, Ipswich Town, Cardiff City, Queens Park Rangers, Hull City, Plymouth Argyle, Blackpool, Crewe Alexandra and Stevenage F.C.. Walton was capped by England at under-16, under-17 and under-19 level.

Career

Leeds United

Walton started his career at hometown club Leeds United. He came to attention after being sent off in a pre-season friendly against Valencia in 2004, whilst still just sixteen. He was likened to former Elland Road heroes Alan Smith and David Batty. He made his competitive debut on 7 August 2004 against Derby County, and went on to score three goals in the 2004–05 season, Leeds' first in the Championship. Walton struggled to break into the first team during the 2005–06 season with his only appearances coming after injuries to Sean Gregan, Shaun Derry, Jonathan Douglas and Gylfi Einarsson.

Charlton Athletic

In July 2006 he joined Premier League side Charlton Athletic for an initial fee of £500,000, with clauses that could create a total £1m fee. He quickly moved on loan to get some regular first-team football, moving to Ipswich Town three games into the Championship season on 18 August 2006. Walton scored several important goals for Ipswich before being loaned to another Championship side, Cardiff City, in January 2007. When playing for Cardiff, he was sent off against former club Leeds for two bookable offences.

Queens Park Rangers

Walton joined Championship side Queens Park Rangers on 27 July 2007 in a £200,000 deal,[4] having never played a competitive game for Charlton. Shortly afterwards, he broke his leg in a friendly against Fulham.[5]

On 29 January 2008 Walton moved to Championship play-off hopefuls Hull City on loan for the remainder of the 2007–08 season.[6]

Plymouth Argyle

On 6 August 2008, Walton signed for Plymouth Argyle on a four-year contract. Originally proclaimed as a club record signing at £750,000,[7] the initial fee paid was well below the £500,000 paid to Cardiff City for Steve MacLean and never surpassed it prior to the club being placed in administration in March 2011. Walton made his debut for Plymouth in a 2–0 defeat at Reading on 16 August.

On 22 December 2008 Walton was placed on the transfer list by Paul Sturrock after being sent off in a league match against Barnsley. Sturrock questioned Walton's attitude and temperament after some abject performances, and rash decisions by the player.[8] On 26 March 2009 he joined Blackpool on loan until the end of the season.[9][10] He made his debut on 11 April as a 74th-minute substitute in Blackpool's 1–0 West Lancashire Derby win over Preston North End at Deepdale.

On 31 August 2009 he joined Crewe Alexandra on loan for the 2009–10 season.

Walton joined Sheffield United on a season-long loan in July 2010.[11] However, he suffered cruciate knee ligament damage during his first outing for the club in a pre-season friendly which proved to be a long-term injury.[12] Following a recovery period at Bramall Lane his parent club, Plymouth Argyle, agreed to terminate his loan and recall him at the start of September.[13] On 5 April 2011, Walton made his first appearance for nine months against Leyton Orient.[14] After the club appointed Carl Fletcher as caretaker manager the captaincy was handed to Walton who has become one of the senior players in the young squad. Walton has subsequently scored several goals, some as penalties, including a brace against Burton Albion on 14 January 2012.[15][16][17][18][19][20]

Walton had his contract extended until the end of the 2012–13 season in April 2012.[21] Manager Carl Fletcher revealed that Walton had agreed a new deal the previous autumn when the club was in the process of being bought by businessman James Brent.[22] "He signed a new deal during the takeover to benefit the club," said Fletcher in an interview with BBC Radio Devon. "He agreed terms on a deal when the club was being taken over to help and aid the club in getting it out of administration."[22]

Hartlepool United

Walton was released by Plymouth in July 2012 so he could be closer to his daughter,[23] and signed for Hartlepool United on 6 July.[24][25]

Stevenage

Walton signed for Stevenage on 30 June 2014 on a free transfer.[26]

Crawley Town

Walton signed for Crawley Town on 18 June 2015 on a free transfer on a 2-year deal.

Personal life

Walton began dating Nicola Tappenden, a glamour model, in 2007 and they went on to be engaged.[27][28] He became a father in November 2008 when Tappenden gave birth to a baby girl named Poppy.[27][29] His younger sister, Sophie, represented England at international level,[30] and has played in the Women's Premier League and Women's Super League.[31][32]

References

  1. ↑ "List of Temporary Transfers of Players under Written Contract Between 01/07/2010 and 31/07/2010" (PDF). The Football Association. July 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  2. ↑ Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 513. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
  3. ↑ "Simon Walton". Mail Online. Associated Newspapers. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "Gregory lands Addicks midfielder". BBC Sport. BBC. 27 July 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  5. ↑ "QPR await X-rays on Walton injury". BBC Sport. BBC. 4 August 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  6. ↑ "Hull sign Walton on loan from QPR". BBC Sport. BBC. 29 January 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  7. ↑ "Walton Arrives". Plymouth Argyle F.C. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
  8. ↑ "Plymouth's Walton put up for sale". BBC Sport. BBC. 22 December 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  9. ↑ "Deadline Day Latest". Blackpool F.C. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
  10. ↑ "Walton makes Blackpool move". Sky Sports.com. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
  11. ↑ "Sheffield United sign Plymouth Argyle's Simon Walton". BBC Sport. BBC. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  12. ↑ "Sheffield United loan signing out for the season with knee injury". mirrorfootball.co.uk. 14 July 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  13. ↑ "Woe of Walton". The Sheffield Star. 2 September 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  14. ↑ "Leyton Orient 2–0 Plymouth". Plymouth Argyle. Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  15. ↑ "Plymouth 2–2 Accrington". BBC Sport. BBC. 8 October 2011.
  16. ↑ "Dag and Red 2–3 Plymouth". BBC Sport. BBC. 15 October 2011.
  17. ↑ "Oxford Utd 5–1 Plymouth". BBC Sport. BBC. 25 October 2011.
  18. ↑ "Plymouth 1–1 Morecambe". BBC Sport. BBC. 5 November 2011.
  19. ↑ "Plymouth 4–1 Northampton". BBC Sport. BBC. 26 November 2011.
  20. ↑ "Plymouth 2–1 Burton Albion". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 January 2012.
  21. ↑ "Simon Walton to stay at Home Park". The Herald. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  22. 1 2 "Simon Walton agrees to new Plymouth Argyle deal". BBC Sport. BBC. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  23. ↑ Cowdery, Rick (6 July 2012). "Walton Released". Plymouth Argyle F.C. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  24. ↑ "Cooper Makes Move In Transfer Market". Hartlepool United F.C. 6 July 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  25. ↑ "Hartlepool United sign Simon Walton from Plymouth". BBC Sport. BBC. 6 July 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  26. ↑ "Stevenage sign Ronnie Henry, Chris Whelpdale & Simon Walton". BBC Sport. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  27. 1 2 "Nicola T and Cassie Sumner". OK!. 13 October 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  28. ↑ Johnson, Chris (7 January 2012). "WAG Nicola 'spending spree' T wants to clear £35,000 debts with Celebrity Big Brother fee". Daily Mail. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  29. ↑ Coventry, Laura (15 June 2010). "WAG Nicola T ditches summer wedding plans after hectic schedule". Daily Record. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  30. ↑ "Home comforts". The Football Association. 30 October 2007. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  31. ↑ "Walton signs for Belles". Leeds Metropolitan University. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  32. ↑ "Lincoln off to a flying start". Lincoln Ladies F.C. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
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