Boss delighted with Walker capture

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PAUL Wotton believes new signing Lewis Walker arrives at Aggborough with the experience, character and goalscoring pedigree needed to make an impact at National League level.

The 27-year-old striker will join Harriers from Braintree Town on 1 July following a campaign that saw him score ten league goals despite the Iron’s relegation.

Having also reached double figures with Woking the previous season, Walker arrives with a proven record at the level Harriers are preparing to return to.

For Wotton, the attraction was about far more than statistics alone.

“You’re getting someone with National League experience, a robust centre forward, somebody who scores goals,” he said.

“Experience, he’s a great age now, 27. Somebody who wants to be here which is critical. We spoke about that before. Good character, good personality. Really looking forward to working with him.”

Walker’s goals came particularly regularly during the closing months of last season, with the striker ending the campaign in strong form despite Braintree’s struggles.

Wotton believes that momentum can only help as the forward prepares for a new challenge with Harriers.

“Yes, definitely,” he said. “He’s a good player. He’s a good centre forward.

“He can hold the ball for us, get us up the pitch. He’s a focal point up there. He’s a goal scorer as well. He wants to get in the box. He wants crosses to feed off.

“Again, it’s somebody I’ve known about for a long time and I think we’re fortunate to get him.”

Walker’s career has taken him through spells with Queens Park Rangers and Gillingham, while he also spent two seasons in Italy with Como and Athletic Carpi.

Now entering what many would regard as the prime years of his career, Wotton sees a player capable of providing a variety of attacking qualities.

Asked about Walker’s desire to be a difficult forward for defenders to track, Wotton said that unpredictability is an important part of his game.

“Also somebody who’s a goal threat,” he said. “Somebody who gets in the box like we spoke about but somebody who’s difficult to mark as well.

“Lewis comes in and obviously we need forward players. We’re going to need to score goals which is always the hardest thing to do in football.”

Walker becomes the latest addition to Wotton’s squad-building plans ahead of the new season, with the manager making no secret of his desire to further strengthen his attacking options in the weeks ahead.

He went on: “Obviously we need forward players. We’re going to need to score goals which is always the hardest thing to do in football. We’re still actively in the market for another centre forward.”

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