Kyle Walker will always be considered one of Sheffield United’s greatest success stories. The 31-year-old is preparing for England’s EURO 2020 round of 16 fixture against Germany on Tuesday but is someone who, quite rightly, the Blades claim as their own. He revealed he was not even meant to be on the pitch that morning, had it not been for a twist of fate.
Kyle Walker said: “I slept at my friend’s house and it was his brother, Akeem and Ismail – there wasn’t any space in the car because his cousin was coming to pick him up and take him to a little coaching session that was happening in a park. I said I would go home and wait for them to come back. Ten minutes later he knocked on the door and said that the cousin’s sister didn’t end up coming up – the dad didn’t have to bring the little girl so there was a space for me. The rest is history. I went and trained and there was a scout from Sheffield United called Paul Archer who asked if I wanted to play for them. I never even played Sunday League football or anything. I went straight from estate football to the park at six or seven and then Sheffield United.”
Growing up in the Sharrow area of the city and a pupil of High Storrs School, the lifelong Blades fan achieved his dream of playing for his club aged 18 in the FA Cup against Leyton Orient. He was the youngest Blades player to ever play at Wembley when he featured in the play-off final defeat to Burnley – only his seventh appearance at first team level. A right back by trade, Walker was famously pictured jumping in the air as a ball boy behind the net when Jagielka unleashed his famous rocket in the last minute against Leeds at Bramall Lane. However, it’s another defender who he looked up to and still wears the same shinpads he was given when he was 16.
Kyle Walker added: “My favourite right-back at the time at Sheffield United, Derek Geary, he gave them to me and I’ve never changed them. I’ve still got them with me now. They’re a couple of years old now!”
