WHILE it may have been a miserable weekend for Chester supporters, it was one to remember for a former Blue who still holds his old club close to his heart.
Jon Walters’ meteoric rise from lower-league journeyman to feared Premier League hitman was complete on Sunday when he fired Stoke City into the FA Cup final.
The 27-year-old, who played for Chester City in the 2005-06 season before making a £150,000 move to Ipswich Town, scored two goals as Stoke thrashed Bolton Wanderers 5-0 to book a return trip to Wembley to face Manchester City in next month’s final.
It was a particularly sweet moment for the Merseyside-born striker as he failed to make the grade at Bolton before dropping down to play for Hull City, Scunthorpe United, Wrexham and then Chester.
Walters, who has worn the colours of 10 clubs in 11 years, said: “It’s been hard for my family moving around. That’s who it is for, my wife and kids. As good a day as I’ve had in my career? Yes, I suppose it is.”
Walters, who signed for Stoke in August for £2.75m after three years playing Championship football with Ipswich, did enough in his six-month stay with Chester to be voted into the club’s Team of the Decade for 2000-2010.
The Republic of Ireland international is delighted by the progress of the reborn Blues and has donated a signed shirt to be auctioned off at the club’s end-of-season do at Chester Racecourse.
Stoke’s squad also includes another former Chester player, although defender Danny Collins was not part of the 18-man squad for the semi-final against Bolton.
