Thomas Walker OBE (26 May 1915 – 11 January 1993) was a Scottish footballer, who played as an inside forward for Heart of Midlothian, Chelsea and the Scotland national team. He later managed Hearts and Raith Rovers before becoming a director of Hearts in his later years. Lauded for his Corinthian spirit and gentlemanly conduct, he is remembered as one of Hearts' all-time greats.Cairney, P128 Walker has been described as the most influential man ever to be associated with Heart of Midlothian.Hearts Greatest XI, Andrew Goldie, 2000. Retrieved 23 June 2007

Playing career

Heart of Midlothian Born in Livingston, West Lothian, Walker had originally harboured an ambition to become a Church of Scotland minister; however, his early footballing skills, which saw him recognised by Scotland at schoolboy level, ensured he was destined for a career on the pitch rather than in the pulpit. He played with local sides Berryburn Rangers, Livingston Violet and Broxburn Rangers before joining the Hearts ground staff aged 16 in February 1932. As Scottish clubs could not then officially sign players until the age of 17, Walker played junior football for Linlithgow Rose until his birthday in May.Speed et al., P78

A talented and elegant inside forward, Walker quickly earned a place in the Hearts first team, helping the side to victory in the 1933 Jubilee edition of the Rosebery Charity Cup, in a season in which they finished 3rd in the league. He was a regular first team player by 1933–34 but despite some emphatic victories, inconsistent form limited Hearts to a sixth-place finish.

In 1934–35, Arsenal expressed interest in signing Walker, and the potential £12,000 fee mooted would have been a world record.Speed et al., P91 However, despite this interest and a later enquiry from Liverpool, Walker had by this stage become Hearts marquee player and the threat of a supporters boycott persuaded the Hearts board not to sell.Hoggan, P187

However, despite scoring 192 league goals for Hearts and playing in sides boasting numerous internationals, such as Scots Dave McCulloch, Barney Battles, Andy Anderson and Alex Massie, Welshman Freddie Warren and Irishman Willie Reid, Walker was destined not to win a major honour as a player at Tynecastle. The closest Hearts came to success during his period there was a second place league finish in 1937–38.

The Army and Chelsea The outbreak of global hostilities in 1939 led to the cessation of League football in Scotland. Many footballers joined the armed forces, particularly in Edinburgh where few local industries were deemed suitable for reserved occupation status. Walker joined the Army as a sergeant in the Signals Regiment, and played for the famous Army footballing "All-Stars" team. At that time, he participated in Rovers Cup (one of the oldest club football tournaments) in India. Walker also guested for Chelsea, for whom he played several games, during the 1944–45 season. When the war ended, he joined Chelsea permanently The Blues paid Hearts £6,000 for his services in September 1946. Walker's arrival completed the club's impressive new forward line, which also included Tommy Lawton and Len Goulden. He made 103 appearances and scored 24 goals during his two and a half years in west London.

Scotland Walker made his debut for Scotland against Wales in 1934, aged only 19, and he was to remain a regular in the side over the following five seasons. In November 1935 he scored his first international goal on familiar territory, helping Scotland defeat Ireland 2–1 at Tynecastle.

His most important performances for Scotland, and those which endeared him most to the Tartan Army, were against England at Wembley. In 1936, when trailing 1–0, Scotland were awarded a late penalty, which Walker volunteered to take. Twice the young inside forward spotted the ball and twice the swirling wind blew it from the penalty spot. On each occasion, Walker calmly returned the ball and, displaying nerves of steel, converted the penalty at the third attempt. He later recalled "I cannot even remember at what end of the ground the penalty-kick was given but I vaguely do remember the ball rolling off the spot. I just replaced it and hit it" .Rafferty, P64 Two years later on 9 April 1938, Walker's 5th minute shot from just inside the penalty box was the only goal of the game against England, which also gave Walker the honour of being the first player to score a goal live on television.McDevitt, p8

Walker earned a total of 21 caps, during which he scored 9 goals. He scored in five consecutive games from April to December 1938. All but one of these caps were obtained before the age of 25 and had the Second World War not intervened, he would have garnered considerably more. If the ten caps he earned in wartime internationals were to count, he would have become the most capped Scottish player. He also won five Scottish League XI caps, scoring two goals.

Managerial career

1950s In December 1948, Walker left Chelsea to return to Hearts as player-assistant to manager Davie McLean. McLean's intention was that Walker would be a steadying influence in a developing young team. However, after a single emergency appearance standing in at right-half for a regular player in a 1–0 home defeat by Dundee, Walker wisely retired to concentrate fully on learning the managerial ropes.Price, P10 Tangible progress was made in the League championship in 1949–50, when Hearts finished third. As Walker had become more influential, McLean was co-opted to the Hearts board of directors on 16 March 1950.David McLean remembered www.heartsfc.co.ukHearts History 1944 – 54 www.heartsfc.co.uk Hearts FC Hall of Fame

McLean's death on 14 February 1951 saw Walker promoted to the position of manager. Walker's reign was to prove the most successful period in the club's history.Price, P12 Walker was always quick to acknowledge the contribution made by McLean and his fatherly interest in the welfare and development of the players. The important foundations Walker inherited from McLean included the Terrible Trio forwards (Willie Bauld, Alfie Conn Sr. and Jimmy Wardhaugh), the full back pair of Bobby Parker and Tam McKenzie, and half backs Bobby Dougan and Davie Laing. To this established core John Cumming had recently broken through to the first team, first as a left winger and then in the left half position he was to dominate for many years. Freddie Glidden was already at Tynecastle but yet to first team debut, as was the then schoolboy Dave Mackay. Walker made Parker the team Captain.

Dave Mackay signed professional terms in 1952, initially part-time while also working as a joiner. The partnership of Mackay and Cumming at wing half was to become the nucleus of the team. Both went on to become full Scotland internationalists while playing for Hearts.

Bauld's value to the team was underlined in 1952/53, when he missed eight league games through ankle injuries. Hearts were struggling, but with Bauld's return to full fitness came a change in fortunes. From the bottom half of the league they surged up the table to finish in fourth place (as they had the two previous seasons). That resurgence also took them to a 1952–53 Scottish Cup semi final against Rangers before 116,262 fans at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Wardhaugh scored in the 2–1 defeat.

In 1953–54, Wardhaugh became the A Division's top scorer with 27 goals as Hearts appeared set to win the League championship. During a Scottish Cup quarter final 3–0 defeat away to Aberdeen on 13 March, Parker broke his jaw, Conn injured his back, and Wardhaugh collected a serious shin bone injury. Dougan already had a lengthy knee injury meaning 9 November 1953 was his last competitive Hearts first team game (Dougan only subsequently played for Hearts in friendlies). Walker immediately tried Glidden to cover and he took over the centre half berth from Dougan. A stuttering end to the season saw Celtic overtake Hearts."Willie Bauld Biography – Part 2"

The team was boosted by the signing of Ian Crawford in August 1954. Mackay was given a regular place in the team in the 1954–55 season, following the transfer of Laing to Clyde in September. It was from this point that Walker settled on Mackay, Glidden and Cumming as his combination for the number four, five and six jerseys.London Hearts 11 September 1954 They promptly became a trophy winning force, lifting the first of seven trophies over nine seasons between 1954 and 1963. In October of the 1954–55 season Hearts won their first trophy since 1906, as they beat Motherwell 4–2 in the 1954 Scottish League Cup Final.

After signing Alex Young and Bobby Kirk, Walker's side proceeded to win the 1955–56 Scottish Cup.Hearts 3 Celtic 1 British Pathe highlights on youtube They thrashed Rangers 4–0 in the quarter finals with goals from Crawford, Conn and a Bauld double.Hearts 4 Rangers 0 Londnhearts.com Cumming's commitment to the team was typified in that 1956 Scottish Cup Final before 132,840 fans. With blood streaming from a first half head injury from a clash with Celtic's Willie Fernie he said, "Blood doesn't show on a maroon jersey". He returned to the playing field in the 3–1 win and was man of the match. Glidden lifted the trophy as Hearts captain in what he recalled as the "sweetest" moment in his footballing career.1954 – 1964 Hearts History www.hearts.co.uk

Wardhaugh was the top tier's leading scorer again that season. The scorers in the cup final win over Celtic were Crawford with two and one from Conn. Conn ended that 1955–56 season at the peak of his powers aged 29 with a career best 29 goals from 41 games. On 2 May 1956 two weeks after the cup win Conn became the third of the terrible trio to collect a full Scotland cap. At Hampden Park he put his side ahead after 12 minutes in a 1–1 draw with Austria. However the following September he suffered a broken jaw playing against Hibernian keeping him out til January.Hearts FC Alfie Conn obituary The days of the Terrible Trio as a combined force were nearing their end.

Hearts led the Scottish League for most of the 1956–57 season. The title hinged on Rangers visit to Tynecastle on 13 April. A capacity crowd watched a tense game in which Rangers keeper, George Niven, was man of the match. Hearts could not beat him and the only goal came from Billy Simpson of Rangers who scored on the break in 35 minutes. Rangers had games in hand which they won to overtake Hearts and lift the trophy.

Walker completed the set of having won all three major Scottish football trophies with the League championship in 1957–58. A new Hearts attacking trio were dominant. For a third time Wardhaugh was the League's top marksman with 28 strikes. This was one ahead of Jimmy Murray's 27 and four more than Alex Young's 24. Mackay, now Captain, was fourth in Hearts' league scoring charts with 12. Hearts won that League title in 1957–58 with record-breaking points, goals scored and goal difference. Their record from 34 league games of 62 points out of a maximum possible 68 was 13 more than their nearest rival. They scored 132 goals (still the Scottish top tier record) with only 29 against for a record net difference of +103.