Former England international, Mark Walters received a very special honour at Wembley during this Black History Month ...more than 30 years after his one and only senior appearance.
The ex-Aston Villa, Glasgow Rangers and Liverpool winger received a ‘Legacy Cap’, in recognition of him appearing for the national team at every professional level. Walters, who also played for England Schoolboys, Youth, U21s and B team, made his senior debut against New Zealand, in 1991.
And despite a hugely successful medal-laden career, and having also played for Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southampton, Swindon Town and Bristol City, since retiring, he has reinvented himself as an entrepreneur and community advocate, as well as running football initiatives and working with charity organisations to promote diversity and inclusion in sports as a whole.
His autobiography, ‘Win’ It, The Mark Walters Story’, describes how he always felt that he needed to be twice as good – and work twice as hard - as other players, in order to succeed in the game. But for that, it was something that he took in his stride.
And with that, all in and out of the game now fully well know that he deserved an awful lot more full England Caps but, for now, for Black History month and beyond, we take off our caps to the legend that is Mark Walters!!
