42 Facts About Paul Walsh

Paul Anthony Walsh was born on 1 October 1962 and is an English former professional footballer who now works as a television pundit.

Paul Walsh began his career at Charlton Athletic, making his first team debut aged 16 in September 1979.

Paul Walsh continued to impress, and was named as PFA Young Player of the Year in 1984.

Paul Walsh was capped five times by England, scoring one goal.

Paul Walsh grew up supporting Arsenal, though his father was a season-ticket holder at West Ham United.

Paul Walsh was spotted playing for local youth side Londinium by Charlton Athletic scout Jim Fibbins, and signed schoolboy forms aged 14.

Paul Walsh made his debut for the Reserves in September 1978, playing right midfield against Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

Paul Walsh ended the campaign with 18 goals in all competitions, whilst Hales was named in the division's PFA Team of the Year.

Paul Walsh performed well against divisional champions Luton Town, giving captain Mal Donaghy a difficult afternoon, which was enough to win him a move to his next club.

Luton ended the campaign in 16th place, and Paul Walsh was voted as PFA Young Player of the Year, ahead of candidates such as Ian Rush, Nigel Callaghan and John Barnes.

Paul Walsh turned down an approach from Italian Serie A side Como to join Liverpool.

Paul Walsh joined Liverpool in time to travel with the players to Rome to see them win the 1984 European Cup Final.

Fagan's retirement in May 1985 and Dalglish's subsequent promotion to player-manager meant that instead of gradually succeeding Dalglish as Liverpool's main striker Paul Walsh instead had to contend with a rival for his position as the club's manager.

Paul Walsh returned to action six weeks later but continued to suffer with ankle trouble and was ruled out for the rest of the season, ending the campaign with 18 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions throughout the campaign.

Paul Walsh's injury caused him to miss the 1986 FA Cup Final, though he secured a First Division winners medal as Liverpool won the league by a two-point margin over Everton.

Paul Walsh again missed pre-season in summer 1986, as he underwent an operation to correct his ankle injury.

Paul Walsh then went 12 games without a goal, and John Aldridge was signed to add competition to the forward roles.

Liverpool finished second in the league, nine points behind Everton, and Paul Walsh scored only six goals in 32 appearances throughout the campaign.

Paul Walsh began drinking heavily, later admitting "the only thing I was interested in by that point was getting pissed and enjoying myself".

Paul Walsh continued to drink heavily, and admitted to being a "ring leader" of a drinking culture alongside Neil Ruddock, Terry Fenwick and David Howells which was to the detriment of the club's on-field progress.

Paul Walsh felt that manager Terry Venables was too easy on the players, and particularly too easy on Paul Walsh himself who "needed someone on my case a bit more".

Paul Walsh later described the season as "just a blur" as Spurs turned their campaign around to finish in sixth place despite Walsh scoring just six goals from 32 starts and five substitute appearances.

Paul Walsh ended the campaign with three goals from 13 starts and 18 substitute appearances.

However Venables dropped him to the bench for the following game, and Paul Walsh became "cynical and pissed off" as he felt nothing he could do could displace either Stewart and Lineker, though he ended the season with 20 starts and 19 substitute appearances.

Paul Walsh was suspended for two weeks and upon his return was loaned out to Queens Park Rangers for a month.

Paul Walsh ended the campaign with three goals in 22 starts and 15 substitute appearances.

Paul Walsh recovered to build a strike partnership with Guy Whittingham, whilst midfielders Alan McLoughlin and Mark Chamberlain made an effective four-pronged attack, and with two games to go Portsmouth were top of the table and needed only to beat relegation threatened Sunderland to secure an automatic promotion place.

Paul Walsh was suspended for the play-off games, and Portsmouth lost at the semi-final stage to Leicester City.

Paul Walsh became assistant first-team coach at the club upon his retirement.

Paul Walsh had a testimonial game at Fratton Park in May 1998.

Paul Walsh was a popular figure at the club, and in February 2005 he came second in the Football Focus poll to find the club's "cult hero", behind teammate Alan Knight.

Paul Walsh was selected for the England youth team's summer trip to the Adria Cup at Yugoslavia in 1979.

Paul Walsh was selected for the 1980 UEFA European Under-18 Championship in East Germany, which England won, though he made only two substitute appearances during the tournament.

Paul Walsh played both legs against Greece, and scored the winning goal against Hungary to take England into the knock-out stages.

Paul Walsh was able to shoot powerfully with both feet.

Paul Walsh had an aggressive temperament, which led to occasional bookings and red cards for ill discipline.

Paul Walsh might beat a defender on the outside, then turn back and go inside him and then beat him for luck.

Paul Walsh became a football agent for a short time, and represented Lee Bradbury during his move to Manchester City.

Paul Walsh invested in property and other businesses, though lost money by investing in Australian fraudster Peter Foster.

Paul Walsh began working in the media after retiring as a player, and first began working as a pundit on Sky Sports in 2001, and since that time has appeared regularly on Soccer Saturday and Football First.

Paul Walsh married Bev in 1990, and the couple had their first child, Jordan, on 12 January 1991.

Paul Walsh published his autobiography, Wouldn't It Be Good, in 2015.