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Tommy, the Toon Army favourite dies

Jeni Harvey
23/ 6/2005

AN FA CUP winning footballer and long-standing pillar of the local community passed away in the early hours of 14 June at a Middleton nursing home.

Newcastle United and Oldham Athletic star Tommy Walker, formerly of Boarshaw Road, died aged 81, leaving a wife, Lily, son Tom, and two grandsons, Andrew and Richard.

The star winger played for the Magpies in the FA Cup finals of 1951 and 1952 and received two winners' medals for triumphs over Blackpool and Arsenal at Wembley, before transferring to Boundary Park in 1954 for the then considerable sum of £2,500.

Tommy, who was also a Methodist lay preacher for many years, moved from his native County Durham to Chadderton for his stint with the Latics, where he remained until retiring from football in 1960.

But his retirement from the beautiful game was to bring about another important era in his life, as the family then moved to Boarshaw Road and ran a popular and successful newsagency for 30 years.

Tommy's only child Tom said: "A lot of people remember him, he always had a smile on his face.

"He used to say to me, 'Life's to be enjoyed', and enjoy it he did. He had a wonderful career in football and a newsagent's shop in a lovely area where the people are very nice.

"He enjoyed his working life to the full and there's not many people who can say that."

Football was and still is a big part of the Walker family's life, and youngest grandson Andrew, who now lives in his grandad's former home on Boarshaw Road, spent three years playing on St James' Park turf himself.

Andrew said: "You could say I've followed in his footsteps - now all I need to do is get a shop."

The funeral took place on Tuesday at Long Street Methodist Church before a committal at Middleton Crematorium, with all donations going to the Stroke Association.

Tom said: "Football was a big part of our lives, as was the shop. Everybody came into the shop, he was quite well known.

"We're going to miss everything about him."