Michael Anthony Walsh (born 13 August 1954) is a former professional footballer who works as a football agent. A striker, he spent his club career in England and Portugal. Born in England, he played for the Republic of Ireland national team at international level.

Mickey Walsh
Personal information
Full name Michael Anthony Walsh
Date of birth (1954-08-13) 13 August 1954 (age 70)
Place of birth Chorley, England
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
0000–1973 Chorley
1973–1978 Blackpool 180 (72)
1978 Everton 21 (1)
1978–1981 QPR 18 (3)
1980–1986 Porto 84 (42)
1986–1987 Salgueiros 29 (5)
1987–1988 Espinho 26 (4)
1988–1989 Rio Ave 2 (0)
Total 360 (127)
International career
1975–1984 Republic of Ireland 21 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Walsh began his professional career at Blackpool in 1973, making his debut in a goalless draw at Fulham on 12 September. He went on to score 72 league goals for the Seasiders in 180 games during his five years at the club. His strike in a 3–2 win against Sunderland at Bloomfield Road on 1 February 1975 earned him the "Goal of the Season" award on the BBC's Match of the Day.[1] He signed for Everton in August 1978 for a fee of £375,000, a record fee for Blackpool at the time.[2]

Walsh scored in both legs against Finn Harps in the 1978–79 UEFA Cup.[3]

He was swapped For Queens Park Rangers striker Peter Eastoe in March 1979 and spent 18 months at QPR - who had a young Allen and Goddard to keep him out.

Then he was sold to FC Porto where he spent six years playing and appeared in their 2–1 defeat by Juventus in the 1984 European Cup Winners' Cup final, having scored at FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the quarter-final.[4]

International career

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Walsh qualified for the Republic of Ireland through his County Mayo-born father.[5] He scored the only goal of the game as Ireland defeated the Soviet Union in a World Cup qualifier in Dublin in September 1984.[6]

Legacy

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Walsh was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road, when it was officially opened by former Blackpool player Jimmy Armfield in April 2006.[7] Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; Walsh is in the 1970s.[8]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[9][10]
Club Season League National cup League cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Blackpool 1973–74 Second Division 21 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 3
1974–75 37 12 1 0 1 1 0 0 3[a] 0 42 13
1975–76 42 17 2 0 1 0 0 0 3[b] 1 48 18
1976–77 41 26 2 1 4 1 0 0 1[b] 0 48 28
1977–78 39 14 1 0 2 1 0 0 3[b] 4 45 19
Total 180 72 6 1 8 3 0 0 10 5 204 81
Everton 1978–79 First Division 21 1 1 0 3 0 4[c] 2 0 0 29 3
Queen's Park Rangers 1978–79 First Division 10 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 3
1979–80 Second Division 7 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
1980–81 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 18 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 20 3
Porto 1980–81 Primeira Liga 19 14 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 16
1981–82 8 0 3 2 0 0 4[d] 2 2[e] 0 17 4
1982–83 25 15 4 2 0 0 3[c] 2 0 0 32 19
1983–84 16 9 4 3 0 0 7[d] 1 0 0 27 13
1984–85 8 1 1 0 0 0 2[d] 0 1[e] 0 12 1
1985–86 8 3 1 2 0 0 1[f] 0 0 0 10 3
Total 84 42 19 9 0 0 17 5 3 0 123 56
Salgueiros 1986–87 Primeira Liga 29 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 5
Espinho 1987–88 Primeira Liga 26 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 4
Rio Ave 1988–89 Segunda Divisão 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Career total 360 127 27 10 12 3 21 7 13 5 433 152
  1. ^ Appearances in the Texaco Cup
  2. ^ a b c Appearances in the Anglo-Scottish Cup
  3. ^ a b Appearances in the UEFA Cup
  4. ^ a b c Appearances in the UEFA Cup Winner's Cup
  5. ^ a b Appearances in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
  6. ^ Appearance in the European Cup

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[11]
National team Year Apps Goals
Republic of Ireland 1976 3 1
1977 1 0
1978 1 0
1979 3 0
1981 2 0
1982 3 0
1983 3 1
1984 5 1
Total 21 3
Scores and results list Republic of Ireland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Walsh goal.
List of international goals scored by Mickey Walsh[12]
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 24 March 1976 Dalymount Park, Dublin, Republic of Ireland 1   Norway 3*–0 3–0 Friendly
2 21 September 1983 Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland 15   Iceland 3*–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 1984 qualification
3 12 September 1984 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Republic of Ireland 19   Soviet Union 1*–0 1–0 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

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Porto

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p. 123. ISBN 1-873626-07-X
  2. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 67. ISBN 0362020175.
  3. ^ "History: Finn Harps 0-5 Everton | UEFA Europa League 1978/79". UEFA.com. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Shakhtyor Donetsk - FC Porto 1:1 (Cup Winners Cup 1983/1984, Quarter-finals)". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  5. ^ Rowan, Paul (14 August 2024). "Mickey Walsh could prove the problem solver Ireland need". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Recovering from illness, having hero status in Porto and teaching Liam Brady the Portuguese word for 'thief'". The 42. 28 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  7. ^ Singleton, Steve, ed. (2007). Legends: The great players of Blackpool FC (1 ed.). Blackpool. pp. 66–69. ISBN 978-1-84547-182-8. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ "The Hall of Fame – 1970s". Blackpool Supporters Association. Archived from the original on 12 June 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  9. ^ Mickey Walsh at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  10. ^ "Mickey Walsh Portuguese statistics".
  11. ^ "Walsh, Mickey". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Player Info: Mickey Walsh". Retrieved 15 September 2020.

Further reading

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  • Calley, Roy (20 October 1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992. Breedon Books Publishing Co Ltd. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
  • Singleton, Steve, ed. (2007). Legends: The great players of Blackpool FC (1 ed.). Blackpool. ISBN 978-1-84547-182-8. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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