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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.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Anthony Walsh | ||
| Date of birth | 13 August 1954 | ||
| Place of birth | Chorley, England | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –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 | |||
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]
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]
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]
Club
| 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 | ||
- Appearances in the Texaco Cup
- Appearances in the Anglo-Scottish Cup
- Appearances in the UEFA Cup
- Appearances in the UEFA Cup Winner's Cup
- Appearances in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
- Appearance in the European Cup
International
| 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.
| 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 |
Porto
- Primeira Liga: 1984–85, 1985–86
- Taça de Portugal: 1983–84
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1981, 1983, 1984
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup runner-up: 1983–84
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