THE death at the age of 84 of Harry Walker, removes one of the storied personalities of Irish League football in the period immediately before and after the second World War.

Walker started his career as a winger with Linfield but it was as a half-back with a distinguished Belfast Celtic team, regarded as many as the finest Irish club side of them all, that he is best remembered.

Belfast Celtic won the Irish League championship in five consecutive seasons between 1936 and '40.

Walker shared in all those achievements and while he was never capped by Northern Ireland, he is recalled as one of the outstanding players of his era. He died while playing golf at the Holywood club at the weekend.