Mark Walters

Mark Everton Walters Walters was restricted to 21 league games due to injury problems in 1986–87 as Villa were relegated in bottom place. Turner had been sacked in September and replaced by Billy McNeill, who in turn lost his job after relegation to be succeeded by Graham Taylor. Walters appeared in the first 24 games of Villa's ultimately successful quest to regain First Division status, scoring seven goals.

Rangers During the late 1980s, Scottish club Rangers signed several English players, including internationals Terry Butcher, Trevor Steven, Gary Stevens, Chris Woods and Ray Wilkins. The Celtic support subjected Walters to monkey noises and the throwing of bananas and other fruit. Walters himself later stated that his worst experience in Scotland was at Heart of Midlothian's Tynecastle, where the abuse was compounded by object-throwing. The abuse at Tynecastle was widely covered in the Scottish media, with commentator Archie Macpherson criticising it during the highlights package on Sportscene.

Southampton Walters was signed by David Merrington in January 1996 to assist in the Saints' desperate fight against relegation from the Premiership. He made his debut as a substitute against Middlesbrough on 20 January 1996 and made a total of five league and four FA Cup appearances (with the Saints reaching the quarter-finals of the competition), but struggled to make any real impression with the side. His final appearance was in a dreadful match away to Queens Park Rangers, which Saints lost 3–0 meekly surrendering in a shoddy second half. At the end of the season, with Saints' Premiership status secured for another season, Walters was released, moving on to Swindon Town, as Graeme Souness – the man who signed him for Liverpool five years earlier – was arriving at Southampton to succeed the sacked Merrington.

Swindon Town Walters joined Swindon Town on a free on 31 July 1996 and made his debut on 17 August in the 2–0 defeat to Norwich City at Carrow Road. His first goal for the Robins came via a 26th-minute penalty during the 2–1 league win over Tranmere Rovers on 14 September 1996.

At the County Ground, Walters was "sometimes brilliant, but at other times could be very frustrating". Walters played a total of 126 matches for Swindon in which he scored 28 goals before he was released on 17 November 1999.

Coaching and media Walters joined Coventry Preparatory School as a Saturday morning football coach for the four- to 11-year–olds in February 2003; he then became a member of staff in January 2006, coaching years three to eight and is also head coach of the under-14s at Aston Villa's academy. Walters is also heavily involved with groups aiming to eliminate racism in football. Walters went back to school and obtained teaching qualifications. He is Head of Languages at Aston Villa's academy.

Although now retired, Walters still plays in the Sky Sports masters football competitions for Rangers. He is also one of three honorary members of the Rangers Supporters Trust, along with Johnny Hubbard and Billy Simpson.

In 2021 Walters presented the documentary Mark Walters in the Footsteps on Andrew Watson which was aired on BBC Scotland.

Personal life Walters was born in Birmingham to the Nigerian footballer Lawrence Wabara, and a Jamaican mother who moved to England as part of the Windrush generation. His father walked out of the family when Mark was a child, and Walters was mostly raised by his mother, whose last name he uses. Walters is the half-brother of the professional boxer Pelé Reid, and the uncle of fellow footballers Simon Ford, and Reece Wabara.

Career statistics Club

A. The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the European Cup, FA Charity Shield, Football League Trophy, Full Members Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Cup.

International Source:

Honours Aston Yilla Youth FA Youth Cup: 1979–80

Aston Villa UEFA Super Cup: 1982 Football League Second Division runner-up: 1987–88

Rangers Scottish Premier Division: 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 Scottish League Cup: 1988–89, 1990–91; runner-up: 1989–90 Scottish Cup runner-up: 1988–89

Liverpool FA Cup: 1991–92 Football League Cup: 1994–95