Claudia Walker

Claudia Walker
Walker with the FA WSL 2 Spring Series trophy in May 2017
Personal information
Full name Claudia Walker
Date of birth (1996-06-10) 10 June 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth England
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Burnley
Youth career
Stoke City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Liverpool 6 (0)
2015–2019 Everton 54 (17)
2019 → Birmingham City (loan) 7 (0)
2019–2021 Birmingham City 34 (5)
2021–2023 West Ham United 28 (3)
2023–2024 Birmingham City 30 (4)
2024– Burnley 0 (0)
International career
2012–2013 England Under-17 5 (0)
2014–2015 England Under-19 9 (1)
2016–2018 England Under-23 5 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 May 2024

Claudia Walker (born 10 June 1996)[1] is an English footballer who plays as a forward for Burnley.[2] She previously played for Birmingham City, Everton, Liverpool, Stoke City, and West Ham United. Walker has represented England on the under-17, under-19 and under-23 national teams.[3]

Club career

Youth

Walker spent her youth career with Stoke City eventually making a debut for the first team in 2013.[4][5]

Liverpool FC, 2014

Walker joined Liverpool for the 2014 FA WSL season. Walker made two appearances during the regular season.[6] Liverpool finished in first place with a 7–2–5 record.[7]

Everton FC, 2015–19

In February 2015, Walker signed for the recently relegated Merseyside rivals, Everton of the WSL 2.[8]

Walker would become a regular for the Blues and played forward as striker, helping Everton with the Spring Series with seven goals in nine appearances.[3] The Blues were promoted to WSL 1 for the 2017-18 season and signed Walker to a 2-year full-time professional contract.[9] In December 2017, Walker suffered a hamstring injury and would miss the remainder for the 2017-18 season.[10]

Birmingham City, 2019–2021

In January 2019, Walker went on loan to Birmingham City for the 2018–19 FA WSL season. After featuring 17 times and scoring once, she was offered a two-year contract by the club. She made the permanent switch from Everton in June 2019, signing a two-year contract.[11][12]

During the 2019–20 FA WSL season, Walker was a starting player in 10 of the 13 games she played.[13] Birmingham City finished in 11th place with a 2–10–1 record.[14] In June 2020, she was awarded the PFA Community Champion Award.[15]

Returning to Birmingham City for the 2020–21 season, Walker scored her first goal of the season during a 5–2 loss to Manchester City.[16] She scored the game-winning goal in a 1–0 win against Reading on 11 October.[17] Seven days later on 18 October, she scored a 50th minute "wonder goal" in a 4–0 win against Bristol City.[18] Her fifth goal of the season was the game winner during a 1–0 over Aston Villa on 14 November.[19]

West Ham United, 2021–2023

On 1 July 2021, Walker was announced at West Ham.[20][21]

Birmingham City, 2023–2024

On 7 January 2023, Walker was announced at Birmingham City.[22] On 24 May 2024, it was announced that she would leave the club at the expiry of her contract.[23]

International career

Walker has represented England on the under-17, under-19 and under-23 national teams. She captained the under-19 national team during the first game of the 2014 UEFA Championship, scoring the only goal for England in the tournament.[6] In 2017, she competed with the under-23 national team at the 2017 Nordic Tournament. Walker scored two goals in the opening match against Sweden and England would go on to win the tournament.[24]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Claudia Walker". Birmingham City F.C. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  2. ^ "WALKER BOLSTERS STRIKING OPTIONS". Burnley F.C. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Claudia Walker | Everton Football Club". www.evertonfc.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Award-Winner Claudia Walker Hopes to Fire Everton to SSE Women's FA Cup Glory". www.thefa.com. 18 October 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Stoke City Profile". www.stokecityladies.com. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  6. ^ a b Heather Carroll (27 October 2014). "Liverpool Ladies Player-by-Player Season Review". www.thisisanfield.com. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  7. ^ "2014 FA WSL". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  8. ^ Bruce Archer (23 February 2015). "Everton complete shock capture of young Liverpool midfielder". Express. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  9. ^ "Claudia Walker profile". loverevertonforum.com. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  10. ^ "Walker Facing Spell Out After Surgery". www.evertonfc.com. 12 December 2017. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  11. ^ "Birmingham City: Everton's Claudia Walker completes Women's Super League switch". BBC. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  12. ^ "CLAUDIA WALKER SIGNS PERMANENT CONTRACT". Birmingham City. 3 June 2019. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  13. ^ "Claudia Walker". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  14. ^ "2019-20 FA WSL". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Claudia Walker wins PFA Community Champion Award". Birmingham City FC. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  16. ^ "Birmingham City Women 2 Manchester United Women". BBC Sport. 13 September 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  17. ^ "Reading Women 0 Birmingham City Women". BBC Sport. 11 October 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  18. ^ Hadley, Craig (19 October 2020). "WSL Round-up: Wonder goal from Claudia Walker in Blues win over Bristol". Midland WOSO. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  19. ^ "Aston Villa Women 0 Birmingham City Women". BBC Sport. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  20. ^ Freville, Chris (2 July 2021). "Claudia Walker signs for West Ham from Birmingham City". Her Football Hub. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  21. ^ @westhamwomen (1 July 2021). "Our new No.9 ⚒Welcome to West Ham United, Claudia Walker! ✍️" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. ^ "Claudia Walker departs for Birmingham City". www.whufc.com.
  23. ^ "Four First Team players to depart Blues Women". www.bcfc.com.
  24. ^ "Nordic Tournament Four Nations U-23 Tournament 2017". www.womenssoccerunited.com. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.

Further reading

  • Caudwell, Jayne (2013), Women's Football in the UK: Continuing with Gender Analyses, Taylor & Francis, ISBN 9781317966234
  • Grainey, Timothy (2012), Beyond Bend It Like Beckham: The Global Phenomenon of Women's Soccer, University of Nebraska Press, ISBN 0803240368
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