Mark Wallington

[smudger63]

....... Whitworth, Rofe, Munro, Cross, Weller, Sammels, Birchenall, Worthington, Earle, Glover.

[Vardinio'sCat]

Great goalie, demonstrated the strength in depth of the home grown keepers in that period.

[Aus Fox]

1 hour ago, smudger63 said:

Fantastic keeper, and under rated in his playing day. He was unfortunate to be around at a time when England had alot of top quality keepers, including Shilton and Clemence who no one was going to replace in the England team. He was my second keeper for city, having seen Shilton before him, and although Shilton was the better keeper, Wallington was my favourite keeper, and for me, second only to Shilton when it comes to the keepers I've seen play for city.  Add to that, that he was a funny guy and had a real rapport with the kop too.  There was a guy in the kop, that every time we had a goal kick at the kop end, would shout "Give it a big un Mark", just as he launched it down the pitch. None of this tippy tappy play it out from the back in those days!  We would also sing "He's not bald, he's not bald, he's not bald, and Wallington would pat his bald spot on his head. Also used to pretend he had got his foot stuck in the goal net at times too. Great days, great keeper.

Ok we need someone in the Kop to step up and shout ‘Give it a big un Kasper’ when we have a goal kick.

[ElusiveEd]

My first footballing hero.

 

He made flying visits to my fathers' pub on the outskirts of the city centre, during his testimonial year in the early 80's, laden with LCFC/Wallington memorabilia to raffle off to the regulars. I think he was doing it to every single pub around the town as it was always a swift pint, which he never paid for, and off to the next boozer after collecting the takings and delivering more stuff.

 

All proceeds were going to himself for his testimonial year and there was always a huge buzz around when he came in and I was awestruck.

 

Of course, once his testimonial year as over we never saw him again but that's OK, he was, and still is, a legend of the club.

Edited 20 December 2021 by ElusiveEd

[BoyJones]

I’ve been going regularly since 1962/63. My all time favourite keeper. 
 

Banks was ok but mistake prone, Shilton was pure class but had no personality, I liked Poole for his professionalism and Kasper is good but moans too much for me. The rest were basically sound keepers but nothing special, didn’t rate Keller.

 

Wallington was just a great keeper, enjoyed the game and a real credit to himself and the club. Old school, too nice for the current game.

[Stadt]

5 hours ago, Corky said:

Goalkeeper has to be our legendary position, a bit like Man United's number 7 or Newcastle's number 9.

 

Banks, Shilton, Schmeichel, Wallington, then you've got other good goalkeepers like Flowers and Walker who were title winners and/ or England internationals.

 

England's two greatest goalkeepers plus a title and cup winning son of probably the best keeper in England (possibly Europe) in the last 30 years, all playing and starring for us.

I agree, GK and striker are our mythological positions. The keepers you mentioned alongside Vardy, Heskey, Lineker, Hine, Hines, Rowley and Chandler are our best ever barring a few exceptions. Historically we’re not one of the outright most successful clubs in the country but our contribution is far greater.

Edited 21 December 2021 by Stadt

[CrazyKopCorner]

I feel about 10 again but Mark Wallington is still my favourite player of all time. 

 

He played as though it really mattered to him and his rapport with the crowd was the best of any player I can remember. 

 

When Chic Bates took him out in the Quarter Final in 1982 if I could have got out of Pen 3 I'd have throttled the b*steward. 

 

Mark was interviewed recently and he was intelligent and insightful. There were no 'at the end of the days' or 'long may it continue' and he clearly still has a real affinity with the club. 

 

Often quoted but in this instance totally worthy of the word Legend. 

[1972 Fox]

5 hours ago, BoyJones said:

Banks was ok

Arguably the greatest ever English keeper or even best the world ever has seen.

 

He was OK. 

[gerblod]

Never underrated by anyone who appreciated the less showy and more dependable player.

Given that he succeeded two peerless England keepers, he was bound to live in their shadows, yet he was a superb commander of his area. He should never be considered less than a worthy successor to two of the greatest keepers in English and international football.

Brave, tough, enduring, very good at his job and loyal above all - always one of my favourite City players. Until Schmeichel came along I'd rate him third in rank of all the goalies I've seen play for City.

[An Away Move]

13 hours ago, worth_the_wait said:

Wallo.   Absolute top player and top guy.  

Late 70's/early 80's, he was the Kop's favourite.

He made 331 consecutive competetive appearances from 1975-1982, until injured in the famous Shrewsbury cup tie.

And as said above, a really funny guy with a great sense of humour.   He played the game with a smile.

I was a boy when we played Shrewsbury in that cup tie. I remember hearing the crowd at Filbert St in a car park at William Caples, the old print factory near the old Mercury offices when my dad was parking up. 

[worth_the_wait]

13 minutes ago, An Away Move said:

I was a boy when we played Shrewsbury in that cup tie. I remember hearing the crowd at Filbert St in a car park at William Caples, the old print factory near the old Mercury offices when my dad was parking up. 

I can believe that.   The atmosphere that day was absolutely incredible,  And it was a pretty amazing match,as well.

[marcymarc446]

Always remember before every game he'd gently kick first the left post at the bottom with both feet, then walk along and jump up and tap the crossbar twice from one end to the other then kick the post the other end the same. Like he was saying 'this is my territory' !

[majaco]

9 hours ago, Blue Fox 72 said:

 

More like ...Munro/Blockley, Cross... in his early days.

Blockley played I  the first game I ever went to.  But I think Shilton was in  goal.

 

It seems like Wellington, Whitworth, Rofe happened hundreds of times;  the reality is probably different.   

 

By the time Jock Wallace's blue and white army were promoted, Bobby Smith was sometimes used in a ground breaking back 3.

[Gillies Apprentice]

Any chance we could get Mark back to coach Kasper on dealing with crosses ? 

[Supergray22]

Christmas is such an emotive time. Had to take my dad from his care home to Glenfield hospital for an urgent check on something yesterday.  On the way back I took a quick detour round king power and welford road. He doesn’t recognise Leicester at all and still doesn’t believe we were in league 1 despite being a season ticket holder at the time.  He can’t comprehend the recent events and responds with wide eyes and disbelief. His last game was in 15/16 and I had to practically had to carry him up the stairs to our seats much to the amusement of those sat nearby,  My brother had made a tactical diversion to the bar. He can still fondly remember the 60s cup finals, the Bloomfield era and maybe odd game like the spurs semi final. My mum won’t let me play the bochelli stream though as his reaction is too painful to watch. Football is much more than just a game. 
 

[majaco]

Wallington's debut.

 

https://www.foxestalk.co.uk/discover/unread/

[majaco]

His last game 

 

https://www.foxestalk.co.uk/history/matches/?mid=1504

 

 

[majaco]

There were some great players in Wallington's final game but I am guessing he enjoyed his debut more.

[Farrington fox]

Hellova keeper in his day.

[smudger63]

3 hours ago, majaco said:

Blockley played I  the first game I ever went to.  But I think Shilton was in  goal.

 

It seems like Wellington, Whitworth, Rofe happened hundreds of times;  the reality is probably different.   

 

By the time Jock Wallace's blue and white army were promoted, Bobby Smith was sometimes used in a ground breaking back 3.

Blockley didn't sign for us until 1975, Shilton left in 1974.  I think Blockleys first game was the week after we beat Leatherhead in the cup after being 2-0  down. Ironically, he replaced Malcolm Munro, who was the one who made an unbelievable goal line clearance just as the "leatherhead lip" Chris Kelly, was rolling it into an empty net. That was Munro's last game for us. Blockley took his place, Munro got disillusioned with football, and left the club, and never played pro football again. City actually kept his registration for a number of years after, presumably in case he ever came back, or there was a chance he would want to play again, and we could get a transfer fee. He never did though, and the last thing I heard, was he had moved to Australia. 

[TrentFox]

4 hours ago, marcymarc446 said:

Always remember before every game he'd gently kick first the left post at the bottom with both feet, then walk along and jump up and tap the crossbar twice from one end to the other then kick the post the other end the same. Like he was saying 'this is my territory' !

My Labrador does that when I take him out. Just not quite so discretely as Wallo did …..

[DoveValleyFox]

Wallo, as I always called him is definitely a hero goalie for me. He was a fantastically dependable keeper and it is a crime to goalkeeping that he never got an England cap or win one of the three major trophies.

 

He did have that rapport with the Leicester City fans and was so loyal to the club. I remember at Cov in the mid eighties when our fans invaded the pitch from behind his goal (it was carnage in case you know nothing about it). I was in my teens and was forced onto the pitch to avoid the crush of the surge. I was very close to Wallington and he was furious, screaming at our fans to get off the pitch. He just walked away disgust while our fans attacked theirs in all stands (no exaggeration).

[1972 Fox]

4 hours ago, majaco said:

It seems like Wellington, Whitworth, Rofe happened hundreds of times;  the reality is probably different.

Yes you are correct with Whitworth and Rofe on the teamsheet following the keeper as almost permanent fixtures as full backs in that era, until Whitworth left for Sunderland in the late 70's.

 

Not sure about the Duke playing in goal though. 

[majaco]

46 minutes ago, Blue Fox 72 said:

Yes you are correct with Whitworth and Rofe on the teamsheet following the keeper as almost permanent fixtures as full backs in that era, until Whitworth left for Sunderland in the late 70's.

 

Not sure about the Duke playing in goal though. 

Auto correct and all that jazz

[majaco]

1 hour ago, smudger63 said:

Blockley didn't sign for us until 1975, Shilton left in 1974.  I think Blockleys first game was the week after we beat Leatherhead in the cup after being 2-0  down. Ironically, he replaced Malcolm Munro, who was the one who made an unbelievable goal line clearance just as the "leatherhead lip" Chris Kelly, was rolling it into an empty net. That was Munro's last game for us. Blockley took his place, Munro got disillusioned with football, and left the club, and never played pro football again. City actually kept his registration for a number of years after, presumably in case he ever came back, or there was a chance he would want to play again, and we could get a transfer fee. He never did though, and the last thing I heard, was he had moved to Australia. 

Memory eh?   Blockley didn't play in the first game I saw then.