1970: Is This Kid BETTER Than BEST? | Nationwide | Classic BBC Sport | BBC Archive

"The most wanted junior footballer in Britain."
He's being hailed as one of the brightest talents of his generation, touted as a potential footballing great, there are 15 professional football teams vying for his signature... and he's just 12 years old.
Nationwide's David Seymour reports on schoolboy football prodigy Colin Walker, and what his situation says about the way top flight clubs are scouting young players.
Originally broadcast 2 December, 1970.
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[@rabbieburns2501]

Glad he had a half decent career in the end. Scoring 10 goals in 15 games at international level for New Zealand is not bad at all. Thought it was going to be a 'never heard of again' type story. Such a lot of pressure to put on a boy of only 12.

[@hschsc1300]

Breaking news: Following this release from the archive, Todd Boehly has signed Colin Walker on a 15 million pound contract lasting 23 years for Chelsea Football Club. Transfer fee is in excess of 300 million pounds.

[@scsutton1]

I'm a Chelsea fan, but this really made me laugh.

[@STASHYNSKYI]

Colin was well known in New Zealand .

[@STASHYNSKYI]

@@Jim-ok9zi Yes. He played for national team.

[@bardo0007]

His parents moved from Britain?

[@original.dwornboy]

No. He just one day decided to play for New Zealand. .... Of course he moved there.

[@TheWaveGoodbye-Music]

@@original.dwornboy Well that's more than possible? there's many ways to qualify playing for a country besides the one of your birth/residence no need for the sarcasm XD whose shat in your cornflakes? 🤣

[@hawsrulebegin7768]

Colin’s mod hair cut looks great. Glad he went on to have a professional career.

[@original.dwornboy]

A soccer star in the making. Those football pitches were a quagmire in those days.

[@davedogge2280]

he did ok, in 2nd and 3rd league division teams in the uk

[@jackhays1246]

Here we go..!!!

[@LucasOliveira-tt2ll]

interesting to see that is not from today that junior footballers have a lot of expectation. Is quite a delicate matter because with the large fransfer fees and huge salaries paid to first team players. Many kids couldn't develop their talent and we might had loss some good players doing the finest on the pitch ever since

[@chrisbloom382]

The Reading scout later became the postman in Afterlife.

[@angelacooper2661]

I was only six months old at the time. Too young to understand or remember that period first time round. Andy Hunt, who played for WBA, was actually born on the very same day as me!

[@ThefightingCelt]

I remember this vividly. Everyone was talking about Colin Walker. The press were hailing him as the potential new superstar of British football. Looking back, a ridiculous and unwarranted amount of pressure put on a young lad's shoulders. I often wonder how he got on.

[@Keithbarber]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Walker_(footballer,_born_1958)

[@WVgirl1959]

That is unfortunate that he broke his leg and didn't become a famous soccer player. He is about sixty-four years old now.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

Wow he did??

[@GhastlyCretin]

He had a long professional career though. I suppose he wasn't "famous" but at least he made a living at it and he's now a coach.

[@alefantozzi2774]

Liar

[@Keithbarber]

​@@alefantozzi2774en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Walker_(footballer,_born_1958)

[@nigeljames6017]

I love the parents !

[@universal70]

Just how David Beckham started.

[@angelicupstart1977]

Kids brighter than his parents that’s for sure.

[@stepheng8779]

Didn't know Joe Wilkinson was a football coach back then 😂

[@27pattywhack2]

If they ever tried to fire him he would just keep coming back

[@daniellamcgee4251]

Looking at Joe Wilkinson always gives me flashbacks to the 1970s.

[@ramo1824]

2:19 you ate well? Nowadays engs hearing this question but still cry about "when England was England" 😂

[@johnathanryan2117]

Colin needed be in that game in Kes with Brian Glover. That would have sorted him out 😂😂😂

[@stephendavies925]

When football was a good British game

[@ethanblackhurst8593]

Didn't show anything on those clips to liken him to Best.

[@kgarrett1404]

I can see who wears the trousers in that household!

[@bardo0007]

Never heard of him

[@michaelboardman8810]

never seen this

[@broccoliface4501]

ay up en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Walker_(footballer,_born_1958)

[@Priority76]

He wasn't the next George Best, but he did better than I thought.

[@ActuallyHoudini]

"his father is a miner" not for long, mate.

[@43bikeguy]

Ok on my way

[@garryleeks4848]

Wonder what happened to Colin

[@anotheruser1275]

he broke his leg and didn't become a famous football player. He is about sixty-four years old now.

[@garryleeks4848]

@@anotheruser1275 that’s a shame

[@GhastlyCretin]

He had a long professional career. Was never really "famous" bit made a career doing what he loved. He's now a professional coach.

[@Red-Red-Red-Red]

This guy was just another Sunny Pike.

[@michaelroberts7374]

Is that the lad who was on Ajax's books?

[@davewalker7126]

Hairstyles were rubbish in 1970

[@danorthsidemang3834]

Your opinion is rubbish.

[@insomecc]

I guarantee someone in 50 years will say the same about todays haircuts

[@daniellamcgee4251]

Today's men's fade cuts look too much like 1940s NAZI cuts to me, which I consider pretty rubbish now.

[@atomictraveller]

hairstyles have always been rubbish, that's why the 1970s were brilliant, and why i'm in constant anger of asphyxiating on my own sideburns re: nazi hair we have no memory tonight

[@thewotsit]

As opposed to the wet noodle nest perched atop a shaven pea as though all inspiration came from Sideshow Bob, during the 2020s.

[@angelicupstart1977]

No.

[@angelamicallef2904]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Walker_(footballer,_born_1958)

[@strayaDaz]

F for fail. If you think scrapping a handful of failures at div 2-3 a success youre a clown. Went to NZ to eek some last $$$. Same old story good at 12 crap by 17.

[@Keithbarber]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Walker_(footballer,_born_1958)