It is 18 years to the day since Jimmy Walker signed for West Ham United from Walsall. The diminutive stopper went on to help the Hammers reach the FA Cup final in 2006 and become a cult hero for his off-the-wall Programme column and saving Frank Lampard's League Cup penalty at Stamford Bridge...
DEBUT DELIGHT
The 2003/04 campaign hadn’t been the kindest for either Walsall or West Ham United. The Saddlers had ended up being relegated from the second-tier, while the Hammers had just lost the Play-Off final, too.
Aged 29 – and after eleven years and 475 appearances at Walsall – I knew it was now time to test myself elsewhere but realised I wouldn’t walk straight into a Premier League club.
‘Plan B’ was to sign for a Championship side and try to get promoted. I’d already had some offers, but I recalled the West Ham fans giving me a fantastic ovation after I’d kept a clean sheet in a goalless draw at the Boleyn Ground just months earlier.
When Alan Pardew gave me an incredible chance to sign for the Club in summer 2004, I just wanted to grab my gloves, pull on a Hammers shirt and get out there but, although I’d had a decent pre-season, Stephen Bywater still started as first-choice.
On Tuesday 24 August 2004, though, I got my chance against Southend United in the Carling Cup first round. Pards had told me that there was a decent youngster in the Academy and when 17-year-old Mark Noble came on for the final 22 minutes, I thought: ‘Yeah, the kid looks a good player.’ But I certainly didn’t see him going on to achieve what he has, making over 500 appearances for the Club!
Marlon Harwood scored twice while I kept another Upton Park ‘cleano’ in our 2-0 victory. It had been an unbelievable feeling to be out there finally playing for West Ham. Incredible!
FRANKLY, A GREAT SAVE
I don’t like talking about my Frank Lampard penalty save but, go on, if you insist...
Having beaten Southend and then Notts County, we then faced Premier League Chelsea in the third round. The Boleyn Ground may only have been half-full in those two earlier ties but having had my first taste of the Hammers support I kept thinking: ‘I’m having more of this.’
Three matches in, though, I certainly hadn’t expected the passion I saw at Stamford Bridge that October night.
Being up at Walsall, I’d never realised that some West Ham fans had an issue with their former midfielder Frank but within five minutes of kick-off I was fully aware of the situation!
José Mourinho put out a strong side and although Mateja Kežman fired Chelsea ahead just after half-time but, roared on by our fantastic supporters in the crowd of 41,774, we were still firmly in the tie.
When Arjen Robben was brought down in front of them, Lampard then had the chance to double Chelsea’s lead. As Frank prepared to take his spot kick, they were doing everything to put him off. And it worked.
The Carling Cup had been my time to shine and when I saved the penalty with my legs, I’d never heard noise like it.
To this day, West Ham fans always mention that save, while I’ve never had to buy a drink in Essex ever since!
But, as I say, I don’t like talking about that night at Stamford Bridge...
WALK-ING ON AIR
Following the Play-Off final defeat against Palace the previous season, I’d arrived in the East End fully aware of the Club’s need to get back into the Premier League at the second attempt – failure would’ve had dire consequences for absolutely everyone connected with West Ham United.
Our automatic promotion hopes had fallen away towards the end of 2004/05 but we still had Play-Off chances going into our final match of the campaign at Watford.
The pressure had certainly been on with us needing to better Reading’s result at Wigan Athletic. When the final whistle blew, though, I walked off knowing it’d been the best I’d ever felt on a football pitch.
Tipping a couple of shots aside, claiming a few corners and crosses before finally just falling on the ball for a breather, I thought: ‘This is living!’.
Scoring just before the break, Anton Ferdinand had settled our nerves before Marlon Harewood’s penalty gave us a 2-1 win and, with Reading losing, we went into our semi-final against Ipswich Town full of confidence.
Walking out at the Boleyn Ground for Saturday lunchtime’s first-leg, the noise was absolutely deafening and with the sell-out crowd singing ‘Bubbles’ there were tears in my eyes as I put my glove-bag in the back of the net. It was so emotional.
Following a 2-2 draw, Ipswich were favourites for the Portman Road return but there was no way we were going to lose it now and Bobby Zamora’s brilliant double meant it was game over. But, despite our 2-0 win, we still had a job to do at the Millennium Stadium…
PRICE OF PROMOTION
Monday 30 May 2005 was massive. As a youngster, I’d dreamed of playing top-flight football and victory over Preston North would get us into the Premier League. I’d put a new contract offer on hold to focus on the Play-Offs and had a good bonus riding on promotion, too!
The whole Club deserved to go up. Players like our 20-year-old central defenders, Anton Ferdinand and Elliot Ward had been sensational right through to the other end of the scale, where we had the big-game experience of Teddy Sheringham.
Add in the management, our back-room boys, everyone working at West Ham, plus the supporters and it would’ve been disastrous not to win the most lucrative game in world football.
Everything went to plan as Bobby Zamora put us ahead on 57 minutes and, when a cross came towards the edge of box in the final moments, I came to claim it thinking I’d sit on the ball and run down the clock. But my world was blown apart when I skidded on landing and tore my knee ligaments.
Half-an-hour after celebrating Zamo’s match-winning strike, I was now being stretchered off in front 70,275 fans, with referee Mike Riley adding insult to injury by booking me for sliding out of my area.
It was agony lying in the medical room watching the celebrations unfold on TV, before physio John Green dug out his biggest bandage. Now back out onto the pitch, Ludo Miklosko gave me a piggy-back for our lap of honour. We were now back in the Premier League but my career was also in serious jeopardy...
LONG ROAD BACK
West Ham were now on the up, while I was now on the down.
Stuck in a dark portable cabin at Chadwell Heath trying overcome my knee injury, I saw everyone else preparing to face Manchester United or Liverpool, while I was being written-off.
Tough times. Unable to play, I started enjoying the alternative side of Essex life a bit too much!
In November 2005, I went with friends to White Hart Lane, where Anton Ferdinand’s late equaliser salvaged a 1-1 draw against Spurs. Everyone connected with West Ham went mad – players, bench, fans… I stayed in my seat long after the final whistle knowing I should’ve been down there, too.
It was my lightbulb moment – I had to switch on and focus. I presented Pards with my timetable to return saying: ‘I promise you, I’ll be ready.’
Hitting every target, I achieved my lifetime ambition of playing a Premier League match on 18 March 2006.
The lads gave me a round of applause before we left the dressing room to play Portsmouth. But having gone 0-3 down, when we returned at half-time I was throwing my gloves at everyone! Although we ended up losing 2-4, I’d still had a decent match.
By now, Pards had agreed a contract extension provided I was available for ten successive games. And I hit double-figures when facing Manchester City a month later. When that first whistle blew, James Collins turned around, grinned and rubbed his hands together!
And to cap a great day, I was voted Man of the Match after keeping my first Premier League ‘cleano’ in our 1-0 victory.
WHAT IF?
I've just finished a spell as a goalkeeper coach and consultant at the Academy of Football, working alongside my old pal Kevin Keen, and whenever I look back on an amazing career, I’m so grateful that my move to West Ham United gave me so many opportunities.
But over 570-games across two decades, the 2006 FA Cup final remains my biggest ‘What if?’
Everyone wants to win the famous old trophy and, having returned from that knee injury that I’d suffered at the Millennium Stadium almost 12 months earlier, I was desperate to play against Liverpool.
As 13 May 2006 neared, I was constantly in Pards’ ears telling him that the goalkeeping gods had written it in the stars that I’d be returning to Cardiff one year later and winning the FA Cup for West Ham United.
From being carried off to carrying the trophy – surely it was fate? But two days before the final he called me into his office telling me that after some sleepless nights, he’d decided to go with Shaka Hislop.
I got it but, equally, was devastated. Then, having watched from the bench as we led 3-2 with just seconds of the 125th FA Cup final remaining, we failed to clear and Steven Gerrard fired a 30-yarder past Shaka to force extra-time before Liverpool won 3-1 on penalties.
I still tell Shaka that I would’ve saved that shot and just ask Frank Lampard how good I am at saving penalties!
My medal’s in a frame but if we’d won, I’d still be wearing it today! We walked back down the tunnel with ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ ringing in our ears. It should’ve been ‘Bubbles’.
