Joe Walter (footballer)

Joe Walter

Personal information
Full name	Joseph Dorville Walter
Date of birth	16 August 1895
Place of birth	Eastville, Bristol, England
Date of death	23 May 1995 (aged 99)
Place of death	Bristol, England
Height	5 ft 7.5 in (1.71 m)
Playing position	Half back/Inside forward/Outside forward
Youth career
	All Hallows
	Cliftonians
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1914–1918	Gloucestershire Regiment
1918–1919	Horfield United
1919–1922	Bristol Rovers	117	(8)
1922–1925	Huddersfield Town	55	(5)
1925–1926	Taunton United	31	(5)
1926–1928	Blackburn Rovers
1928–1929	Bristol Rovers	7	(1)
1929–1931	Bath City
1931–?	Kingswood
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Joseph Dorville "Joe" Walter (16 August 1895 – 23 May 1995) was a professional footballer, who played for Bristol Rovers, Huddersfield Town, Taunton United and Bath City. He was the last surviving player to play under Herbert Chapman while at Huddersfield.

Walter's early footballing experience came while serving in the Gloucestershire Regiment during the First World War, when he represented the Third Battalion of the Glorious Glosters, before joining Horfield United in the Horfield area of his home city of Bristol. After a year playing in the Bristol and Suburban Association Football League, he joined his first professional team in 1919 when he signed for Bristol Rovers.

Later in life he worked as a groundsman, firstly for the Bristol Co-Operative Society, before taking responsibility for Bristol City's Ashton Gate pitch in 1955. He was later appointed as an assistant coach at his former club, Bristol Rovers, in 1960 when he was aged 65.

In Huddersfield's final game at Leeds Road, against Blackpool on 30 April 1994, he was the guest of honour.^[1] He was also present for Town's visit to Bristol Rovers' Twerton Park. On 5 November 1994, he made English football history as he became the oldest living professional player at 99 years, on the death of former Brighton & Hove Albion player Zillwood March in his 102nd year.

Death

On 23 May 1995, less than three months before what would have been his 100th birthday, Walter died in his sleep. His funeral was attended by the entire Huddersfield Town squad and their then manager Neil Warnock.

References

Specific

1. Gillatt, Peter (30 November 2009). Blackpool FC on This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year. Pitch Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-905411-50-2.

General

• 99 Years & Counting - Stats & Stories - Huddersfield Town History