Shrewsbury Town today raided Bristol Rovers for Richard Walker - the man who wrecked their promotion dream at Wembley last year.The 30-year-old striker was this morning at Oteley Road to tie up the formalities on a season-long loan as manager Paul Simpson completed his sixth signing of the summer.
A first departure could also be imminent with Guy Madjo set for a shock switch to the continent under another season-long temporary switch.
Walker began his career as a trainee at Aston Villa and has since had permanent spells at Blackpool, Oxford and Rovers, with loan stints at Cambridge, Wycombe and Northampton.
He has established a reputation as a prolific lower League scorer, and struck 62 times in 140 starts for Bristol Rovers.
Walker’s best season came in 2006-07 when he scored 32 times, including a brace in the Rovers’ 3-1 play-off defeat of Shrewsbury at Wembley last May.
He managed just four goals - all from the penalty spot - in League One last season as he fell down the pecking order at Rovers.
“I didn’t know about his goals against Shrewsbury at Wembley but the chairman (Roland Wycherley) has already picked him up on that,” joked Simpson.
“Richard is a quality player, he’s experienced and he’s got a proven goalscoring record.
“He is the type of player who likes the ball into his feet, he will twist and turn on the edge of the box and he’s very good at finding goalscoring positions for himself.
“He’s got experience as well and it means we have got some very good striking options which is important in any squad.
“Hopefully it will go well for the season and we can look beyond that.”
Walker has one-year left on his contract at Bristol Rovers, so would be available on a Bosman free transfer at the end of the season-long agreement.
Simpson has now conceded he will have to reduce his squad numbers before considering any further reinforcements.
And one man who could be on the move is Madjo.
The Cameroon striker, who spent much of the summer on a training camp with his country’s Olympic squad, is currently on trial with Dutch team Go Ahead Eagles who play in the Eerste Divisie, the equivalent of the English Championship.
“Guy has been there for a couple of days and Go Ahead Eagles have expressed an interest in taking him on a season-long loan,” said Simpson.
“We will have to see in the next day or so whether that will go through but, if it doesn’t there is a possibility another Dutch club may be interested.”
By James Garrison
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7 Comments
You’ve got to give our board credit, even after missing out on the Joe Hart money they are still backing our manager and allowing him to bring in new signings. Can’t really recall a time when we’ve been signing so many players who are proven in the lower leagues.
It’s strange how the two players who scored against us when we’ve played at Wembley have then gone onto sign for us. Hopefully Walker will have a similar impact as Jemson had with us
This just gets better and better!
Other league 2 teams will be green with envy we are turning into last years Peterborough and they went up no problem. Walker killed us off at wembley and will get goals for us no doubt - WOW factor now truly arrived.
Up the Town !
Please forgive me for not getting overly excited,it seems to be the rerelease of a familiar old song only the band leader’s changed,what has happened to all the home grown starlets? We’ve that many cast-offs perhaps they should change the name of the club to Oxfam or War on Want
hopefuly the players that simpson has signed will produce the goods for stfc and give us start that other teams will struggle to keep pace with and hopefully stfc will go onto greater things and congratulations must go to the chairman has backed the managers judgement with cash and hopefully everything will come to the brave.
Must agree with Peter. We all got over excited last season and look what a disaster that turned out to be. With regard to us being the next Peterborough…………….NO.
didn’t peterborough spend £400 k on a goalkeeper