Ronnie Wallwork
Encyclopedia
By the start of the 1997–98 season
, he had become a regular in the Manchester United reserve team and made his senior debut on 25 October 1997, when he came on as a 64th minute substitute for Gary Pallister
in the 7–0 home win against Barnsley
. Later that season, Wallwork was loaned out twice: firstly to Carlisle United
, where he scored his first goal in professional football, and then to Stockport County
. He joined Royal Antwerp on loan during the following season and helped them to reach the play-offs, but their hopes of promotion to the First Division were ended by a defeat to La Louvière
. After the match, Wallwork grabbed referee Amand Ancion by the throat, for which he was banned from football for life. Another Manchester United loanee, Danny Higginbotham
, was banned for a year for his part in the attack. A Belgian
court reduced Wallwork's sentence to a three year suspension, of which two years were probational, while Higginbotham's ban was reduced to four months. The remaining twelve months of Wallwork's ban applied only in Belgium, rather than the worldwide ban given under the initial ruling.
The 1999–2000 season
saw Wallwork make further progress at Manchester United as he made seven appearances for the first team, mostly as a defensive midfielder. Then, in 2000–01
, he amassed enough league appearances to qualify for a Premier League winner's medal. However, his spell in the United first team was short-lived, as the signings of centre-back Laurent Blanc
and central midfielder Juan Sebastián Verón
made Wallwork surplus to requirements. He made his final appearance for United on 26 January 2002, playing 61 minutes of the FA Cup
Fourth Round match against Middlesbrough
before being replaced by Ryan Giggs
. In his seven years at United, Wallwork played just 28 times, and in the summer of 2002 his contract was not renewed.
on a Bosman free transfer
, becoming the first player signed by Albion following their promotion
to the Premier League. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson
called him the "best Bosman of the summer". Before the season started, Wallwork and his Albion team-mates were involved in a dispute over bonuses with the club's new board of directors
. According to his agent, the player was said to be "shocked and disturbed" at the prospect of an 80% reduction in bonuses compared with that offered by the outgoing board. Wallwork made his Albion debut as a substitute in a 3–1 home defeat to Leeds United
on 24 August, and he went on to play in 27 of Albion's 38 Premier League games in 2002–03
. Following the death of his mother in February 2003, he and his team mates each wore a black armband for the match against Bolton Wanderers
. The club were eventually relegated at the end of the campaign and Wallwork fell out of favour during 2003–04
, taking part in just five league matches during the first half of the season. In January 2004, he joined Bradford City
on an initial month-long loan, during which time he scored in his first and last games. Albion initially refused an extension to the loan, citing concerns over the financial situation at Bradford, who were on the verge of administration
. A second loan deal for a further two months at Bradford was agreed shortly afterwards, and Wallwork scored a further two goals, taking his total with Bradford to four in seven games. He attributed his newly-found goalscoring form to tactical instructions from manager Bryan Robson
, who told him to get forward more often, in contrast to his deeper-lying role at West Bromwich Albion. A broken toe sustained in a match against Rotherham United
meant that he returned earlier than scheduled, however. While Wallwork was sidelined for six weeks, his West Bromwich Albion team mates secured promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Back in the top division, Wallwork was still unable to force his way back into Albion manager Gary Megson
's matchday squad. However when Bryan Robson, who had managed the player at Bradford, replaced Megson in November 2004, Wallwork became an integral part of the team. Robson referred to Wallwork as "an intelligent footballer" who could "sit, pass the ball and change the direction of a game" from central midfield. Wallwork returned to the team the following month and was ever-present throughout the second half of the season, scoring his first Albion goal in a 2–0 home win over Manchester City
on 22 January 2005. The club successfully avoided relegation, retaining their top-flight status on the final day of the season, when they beat Portsmouth
. Albion became the first Premiership club to avoid relegation having been bottom of the table at Christmas. For his efforts, Wallwork was named as Albion's Player of the Year for 2004–05
. In May 2005, he signed a new contract, to keep him at Albion until June 2007.
The following season
Wallwork played in 31 out of 38 Premiership games, but was unable to prevent Albion's relegation to The Championship
. He nevertheless signed a new two-year deal with the club in August 2006. He remained a regular in the side during the early part of the 2006–07
season, but following the appointment of Bryan Robson's successor Tony Mowbray
in October, Wallwork played just once more for the club. Mowbray described Wallwork as "a very good professional", but preferred a number of other midfielders ahead of him when selecting the team, moving Jonathan Greening
from a wide position into the central midfield holding role previously occupied by Wallwork. In order to continue playing first-team football, Wallwork joined Barnsley
on loan on 22 November 2006; the loan spell was due to last until 1 January 2007, though West Bromwich Albion had a recall option after 28 days.
On 30 November 2006, Wallwork was attacked while on a night out with his girlfriend Amy Broadbent at the Sugar Lounge night club in Manchester
. He was approached by a former boyfriend of Broadbent, Robert Rimmer, who asked him to leave. When Wallwork refused to do so, Rimmer used a fish knife to stab the footballer seven times in the hand, back and stomach. After being rushed to hospital Wallwork's condition was said to be stable and his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening. Police investigating the stabbing described the attack as "not random". They later named 20-year-old Rimmer as the suspect and appealed for him to contact them. Rimmer handed himself into a police station in Manchester and was arrested on 7 December. In December 2007, Rimmer, from Gorton
, Manchester
, was jailed for five and a half years for stabbing Wallwork after admitting wounding with intent
at Manchester Crown Court. Rimmer's friend, Charles Ebbrell, a 27-year-old from Denton, Greater Manchester
, was given a suspended jail sentence after he admitted punching Wallwork during the attack. Wallwork was released from hospital on 10 December 2006, the same day that Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion faced each other in a league game; Barnsley supporters displayed a "Get well soon Ronnie" banner during the match. After returning to light training in late January, Wallwork made his comeback from the stabbing on 21 February 2007, playing the full 90 minutes in a West Bromwich Albion reserve team game against Walsall
.
on 27 September 2007; here he joined up once more with manager Andy Ritchie, who had brought him to Barnsley the season before. He made his Huddersfield debut in a 2–0 home win over Luton Town
on 29 September 2007. On 20 October, he scored his first goal for Town in a match against Oldham Athletic
, which finished 1–1. His loan was extended by another month on 29 October. He was also given permission by West Bromwich Albion to play in Town's FA Cup
first round tie against Accrington Stanley
on 10 November. Wallwork's loan was extended on 22 November until 29 December, the maximum loan period of 93 days permitted under league rules, when he returned to West Bromwich Albion.
on a free transfer until the end of the season, with a view to an extension afterwards. He made his debut the following day, coming on as a half-time substitute for Steve Watson
in a 1–0 defeat away at Cardiff City
. He lost his place in the team to new signing Adam Bolder
, and although he came on as an early substitute for Graham Kavanagh
against Charlton Athletic
on 12 February 2008, he did not play for nearly another month until his appearance in a 2–1 victory against Queens Park Rangers
. Wallwork played just seven games for Wednesday, who released him on 14 May 2008. He trained with former club Carlisle United
in August 2008, but failed to earn a permanent contract. The player "wasn't strong enough or fit enough for the levels we're at", according to Carlisle manager John Ward.
team at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship
in Malaysia, where he played in all four of his country's matches. England won all three group games to progress to the knockout stages, but lost to Argentina in the round of 16.
Individual honours
, Greater Manchester
. In 2007, the business was burgled, with hundreds of pounds worth of goods stolen. On 18 August 2008, Wallwork was seen to be talking on his mobile phone while driving his BMW 525
, in Failsworth. He pleaded guilty to the offence five months later and was fined £35, ordered to pay £35 costs and a £15 victim surcharge, and was given three penalty points on his licence. On 18 January 2011, he was charged with concealing criminal property in connection with offences relating to stolen cars. On 1 July 2011, he pleaded guilty to three counts of handling stolen cars and will be sentenced later in December.
1997-98 in English football
The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title...
, he had become a regular in the Manchester United reserve team and made his senior debut on 25 October 1997, when he came on as a 64th minute substitute for Gary Pallister
Gary Pallister
Gary Andrew Pallister is an English former footballer, most noted for his nine-year spell at Manchester United from 1989 until 1998...
in the 7–0 home win against Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
. Later that season, Wallwork was loaned out twice: firstly to Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
, where he scored his first goal in professional football, and then to Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
. He joined Royal Antwerp on loan during the following season and helped them to reach the play-offs, but their hopes of promotion to the First Division were ended by a defeat to La Louvière
R.A.A. Louviéroise
R.A.A. Louviéroise, sometimes referred to as La Louvière or RAAL, was a Belgian football club located in the city of La Louvière, in the province of Hainaut. It had been playing its latest run in the Belgian First Division from 2000-01 to 2005-06 included...
. After the match, Wallwork grabbed referee Amand Ancion by the throat, for which he was banned from football for life. Another Manchester United loanee, Danny Higginbotham
Danny Higginbotham
Daniel John "Danny" Higginbotham is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Stoke City.Higginbotham started his career at his local side Manchester United he made seven appearances at Old Trafford as well as a loan spell with Belgium side Royal Antwerp before joining...
, was banned for a year for his part in the attack. A Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
court reduced Wallwork's sentence to a three year suspension, of which two years were probational, while Higginbotham's ban was reduced to four months. The remaining twelve months of Wallwork's ban applied only in Belgium, rather than the worldwide ban given under the initial ruling.
The 1999–2000 season
1999-2000 in English football
-Premier League:Manchester United were crowned FA Premier League champions with an 18-point margin over runners-up Arsenal and with just 3 league defeats all season. This was despite their failure to retain the European Cup and withdrawal from the FA Cup in order to compete in the FIFA Club World...
saw Wallwork make further progress at Manchester United as he made seven appearances for the first team, mostly as a defensive midfielder. Then, in 2000–01
2000-01 in English football
The 2000–01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons...
, he amassed enough league appearances to qualify for a Premier League winner's medal. However, his spell in the United first team was short-lived, as the signings of centre-back Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc
Laurent Robert Blanc is a French association football manager and former player. He is the head coach of the French national team, having replaced Raymond Domenech in the wake of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was previously the manager of Bordeaux...
and central midfielder Juan Sebastián Verón
Juan Sebastián Verón
Juan Sebastián Verón is an Argentinian professional football player who is the current captain and midfielder for Estudiantes de La Plata in the Argentine Primera División....
made Wallwork surplus to requirements. He made his final appearance for United on 26 January 2002, playing 61 minutes of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Fourth Round match against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
before being replaced by Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
. In his seven years at United, Wallwork played just 28 times, and in the summer of 2002 his contract was not renewed.
West Bromwich Albion
In July 2002, Wallwork moved on to West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
on a Bosman free transfer
Bosman ruling
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
, becoming the first player signed by Albion following their promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the Premier League. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
called him the "best Bosman of the summer". Before the season started, Wallwork and his Albion team-mates were involved in a dispute over bonuses with the club's new board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
. According to his agent, the player was said to be "shocked and disturbed" at the prospect of an 80% reduction in bonuses compared with that offered by the outgoing board. Wallwork made his Albion debut as a substitute in a 3–1 home defeat to Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
on 24 August, and he went on to play in 27 of Albion's 38 Premier League games in 2002–03
FA Premier League 2002-03
The 2002–03 FA Premier League was the eleventh season of the Premier League, the top division in English football. The first matches were played on 17 August 2002 and the last were played on 11 May 2003...
. Following the death of his mother in February 2003, he and his team mates each wore a black armband for the match against Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. The club were eventually relegated at the end of the campaign and Wallwork fell out of favour during 2003–04
2003-04 in English football
The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....
, taking part in just five league matches during the first half of the season. In January 2004, he joined Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
on an initial month-long loan, during which time he scored in his first and last games. Albion initially refused an extension to the loan, citing concerns over the financial situation at Bradford, who were on the verge of administration
Administration (insolvency)
As a legal concept, administration is a procedure under the insolvency laws of a number of common law jurisdictions. It functions as a rescue mechanism for insolvent entities and allows them to carry on running their business. The process – an alternative to liquidation – is often known as going...
. A second loan deal for a further two months at Bradford was agreed shortly afterwards, and Wallwork scored a further two goals, taking his total with Bradford to four in seven games. He attributed his newly-found goalscoring form to tactical instructions from manager Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
, who told him to get forward more often, in contrast to his deeper-lying role at West Bromwich Albion. A broken toe sustained in a match against Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
meant that he returned earlier than scheduled, however. While Wallwork was sidelined for six weeks, his West Bromwich Albion team mates secured promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Back in the top division, Wallwork was still unable to force his way back into Albion manager Gary Megson
Gary Megson
Gary John Megson is an English former football player and is currently manager of Sheffield Wednesday.He has previously managed Norwich City, Blackpool, Stockport County, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers...
's matchday squad. However when Bryan Robson, who had managed the player at Bradford, replaced Megson in November 2004, Wallwork became an integral part of the team. Robson referred to Wallwork as "an intelligent footballer" who could "sit, pass the ball and change the direction of a game" from central midfield. Wallwork returned to the team the following month and was ever-present throughout the second half of the season, scoring his first Albion goal in a 2–0 home win over Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on 22 January 2005. The club successfully avoided relegation, retaining their top-flight status on the final day of the season, when they beat Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
. Albion became the first Premiership club to avoid relegation having been bottom of the table at Christmas. For his efforts, Wallwork was named as Albion's Player of the Year for 2004–05
2004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
. In May 2005, he signed a new contract, to keep him at Albion until June 2007.
The following season
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
Wallwork played in 31 out of 38 Premiership games, but was unable to prevent Albion's relegation to The Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
. He nevertheless signed a new two-year deal with the club in August 2006. He remained a regular in the side during the early part of the 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season, but following the appointment of Bryan Robson's successor Tony Mowbray
Tony Mowbray
Anthony Mark "Tony" Mowbray is an English former professional football player, who is currently the manager of Middlesbrough...
in October, Wallwork played just once more for the club. Mowbray described Wallwork as "a very good professional", but preferred a number of other midfielders ahead of him when selecting the team, moving Jonathan Greening
Jonathan Greening
Jonathan Greening is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Nottingham Forest.He began his career in 1996 with York City, but moved to Manchester United in 1998, with whom he won the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League as a non-playing substitute in the final...
from a wide position into the central midfield holding role previously occupied by Wallwork. In order to continue playing first-team football, Wallwork joined Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
on loan on 22 November 2006; the loan spell was due to last until 1 January 2007, though West Bromwich Albion had a recall option after 28 days.
On 30 November 2006, Wallwork was attacked while on a night out with his girlfriend Amy Broadbent at the Sugar Lounge night club in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. He was approached by a former boyfriend of Broadbent, Robert Rimmer, who asked him to leave. When Wallwork refused to do so, Rimmer used a fish knife to stab the footballer seven times in the hand, back and stomach. After being rushed to hospital Wallwork's condition was said to be stable and his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening. Police investigating the stabbing described the attack as "not random". They later named 20-year-old Rimmer as the suspect and appealed for him to contact them. Rimmer handed himself into a police station in Manchester and was arrested on 7 December. In December 2007, Rimmer, from Gorton
Gorton
Gorton is an area of the city of Manchester, in North West England. It is located to the southeast of Manchester city centre. Neighbouring areas include Longsight and Levenshulme....
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, was jailed for five and a half years for stabbing Wallwork after admitting wounding with intent
Grievous bodily harm
Grievous bodily harm is a term of art used in English criminal law which has become synonymous with the offences that are created by sections 18 and 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861....
at Manchester Crown Court. Rimmer's friend, Charles Ebbrell, a 27-year-old from Denton, Greater Manchester
Denton, Greater Manchester
Denton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. It is five miles to the east of Manchester city centre, and has a population of 26,866....
, was given a suspended jail sentence after he admitted punching Wallwork during the attack. Wallwork was released from hospital on 10 December 2006, the same day that Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion faced each other in a league game; Barnsley supporters displayed a "Get well soon Ronnie" banner during the match. After returning to light training in late January, Wallwork made his comeback from the stabbing on 21 February 2007, playing the full 90 minutes in a West Bromwich Albion reserve team game against Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
.
Huddersfield Town
Wallwork was loaned out to Huddersfield TownHuddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
on 27 September 2007; here he joined up once more with manager Andy Ritchie, who had brought him to Barnsley the season before. He made his Huddersfield debut in a 2–0 home win over Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
on 29 September 2007. On 20 October, he scored his first goal for Town in a match against Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
, which finished 1–1. His loan was extended by another month on 29 October. He was also given permission by West Bromwich Albion to play in Town's FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
first round tie against Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
on 10 November. Wallwork's loan was extended on 22 November until 29 December, the maximum loan period of 93 days permitted under league rules, when he returned to West Bromwich Albion.
Sheffield Wednesday
On 11 January 2008, Wallwork signed for Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
on a free transfer until the end of the season, with a view to an extension afterwards. He made his debut the following day, coming on as a half-time substitute for Steve Watson
Steve Watson
Steven Craig "Steve" Watson is a former English footballer, who retired after being released by Sheffield Wednesday on 15 May 2009. As of November 13, 2010, he is the Development Coach at Football League One side Huddersfield Town.-Playing career:Watson began his career with Newcastle United,...
in a 1–0 defeat away at Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
. He lost his place in the team to new signing Adam Bolder
Adam Bolder
Adam Peter Bolder is an English footballer who has plays in the central midfield position. He currently plays for Burton Albion...
, and although he came on as an early substitute for Graham Kavanagh
Graham Kavanagh
Graham Anthony Kavanagh is an Irish footballer. He is assistant manager for Carlisle United, having also played for Home Farm, Middlesbrough, Stoke City, Cardiff City, Wigan Athletic, Sunderland and two loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday...
against Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
on 12 February 2008, he did not play for nearly another month until his appearance in a 2–1 victory against Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
. Wallwork played just seven games for Wednesday, who released him on 14 May 2008. He trained with former club Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
in August 2008, but failed to earn a permanent contract. The player "wasn't strong enough or fit enough for the levels we're at", according to Carlisle manager John Ward.
International career
In the summer of 1997, he represented the England under-20England national under-20 football team
- Round of 16 :-Friendlies:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup running from 29 July to the 20 August 2011.-Recent call-ups:...
team at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship
1997 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship was the 11th staging of the FIFA World Youth Championship. It was held from June 16 to July 5, 1997 in Malaysia.-Venues:-Qualification:The following 24 teams qualified for the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship...
in Malaysia, where he played in all four of his country's matches. England won all three group games to progress to the knockout stages, but lost to Argentina in the round of 16.
Club performance
Last updated 14 May 2008:| Club | Season | League The Football League The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football... |
FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | ||
| Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
1997–98 1997-98 in English football The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998–99 1998-99 in English football -Premier League:Manchester United overcame close competition from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea to win their fifth Premiership title in seven seasons thanks to the comeback of Roy Keane after his long-term injury and a transfer raid totalling nearly £30 million which netted Aston Villa striker... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1999–00 1999-2000 in English football -Premier League:Manchester United were crowned FA Premier League champions with an 18-point margin over runners-up Arsenal and with just 3 league defeats all season. This was despite their failure to retain the European Cup and withdrawal from the FA Cup in order to compete in the FIFA Club World... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2000–01 2000-01 in English football The 2000–01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons... |
12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| 2001–02 2000-01 in English football The 2000–01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons... |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Subtotal | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| Carlisle United Carlisle United F.C. Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system.... (loan) |
1997–98 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| Subtotal | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| Stockport County Stockport County F.C. Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport... (loan) |
1997–98 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Subtotal | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Royal Antwerp Royal Antwerp F.C. Royal Antwerp Football Club, often simply referred to as Antwerp, is a Belgian football club based in the city of Antwerp.Antwerp is the oldest football club to register to the Royal Belgian Football Association in 1895 and they consequently received the matriculate number one when matriculation... (loan) |
1998–99 1998-99 in Belgian football The 1998-1999 season was the 97th competitive season in Belgian football.-National team:* Belgium score given firstKey* H = Home match* A = Away match* F = Friendly* og = own goal-Honours:-References: - International results... |
17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
| Subtotal | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 2 | |
| West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion F.C. West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands... |
2002–03 2002-03 in English football The 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable... |
27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| 2003–04 2003-04 in English football The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game.... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 2004-05 in English football The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League... |
20 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | |
| 2005–06 2005-06 in English football The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether... |
31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
| 2006–07 2006-07 in English football The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five... |
10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | |
| 2007–08 2007-08 in English football The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Subtotal | 93 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 107 | 3 | |
| Bradford City Bradford City A.F.C. Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two.... (loan) |
2003–04 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 |
| Subtotal | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | |
| Barnsley Barnsley F.C. Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's... (loan) |
2006–07 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Subtotal | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Huddersfield Town Huddersfield Town F.C. Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One... (loan) |
2007–08 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 |
| Subtotal | 16 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 | |
| Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the... |
2007–08 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Subtotal | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
Honours
Manchester United- FA Youth CupFA Youth CupThe Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
: 1995 - Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (football)The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
: 19991999 Intercontinental CupThe 1999 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on 30 November 1999 between Manchester United, winners of the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League, and Palmeiras, winners of the 1999 Copa Libertadores... - Premier League: 2001
Individual honours
- Manchester United Young Player of the Year: 1995–96
- West Bromwich Albion Player of the Year: 2004–05
Personal life
Wallwork runs a clothes business, D&R Designers, in FailsworthFailsworth
At Failsworth lies north-northwest of London. It shares common boundaries with Manchester and Oldham, on its west and northeast respectively. Failsworth is traversed by the A62 road, from Manchester to Oldham, the heavy rail line of the Oldham Loop and the Rochdale Canal, which crosses the...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. In 2007, the business was burgled, with hundreds of pounds worth of goods stolen. On 18 August 2008, Wallwork was seen to be talking on his mobile phone while driving his BMW 525
BMW 5 Series
The BMW 5 Series is a mid-size / executive car manufactured by BMW since 1972. The car, now in its sixth generation, is sold in sedan and touring body styles....
, in Failsworth. He pleaded guilty to the offence five months later and was fined £35, ordered to pay £35 costs and a £15 victim surcharge, and was given three penalty points on his licence. On 18 January 2011, he was charged with concealing criminal property in connection with offences relating to stolen cars. On 1 July 2011, he pleaded guilty to three counts of handling stolen cars and will be sentenced later in December.