Mark Walton: Ex-Cardiff City goalkeeper joins Glamorgan staff

Former Cardiff City goalkeeper Mark Walton has joined the Glamorgan staff as part of efforts to produce more home-grown professionals.

Walton, 50, will head up the junior academy as well as helping senior players where possible.

He made 48 appearances for the Bluebirds between 2000 and 2003, and six for Wrexham in 1993.

Walton played more than 250 pro first-team games including time at Brighton, Fulham, Norwich and Colchester.

Merthyr-born Walton, who played in the Premier League and in an FA Cup semi-final for Norwich City, will also draw on his sports psychology studies and a decade as a teacher, as well as a cricket career reaching Minor Counties level.

"I was alongside some outstanding players at Norwich, while Brighton and Cardiff were both rebuilding and it teaches you many lessons," Walton said.

"When you reflect on it, they are really good experiences because you can help people going through things."

Walton's appointment comes with Glamorgan's academy taking over from Cricket Wales some of the responsibility for coaching the best youngsters, who can now come into earlier contact with the county's ex-pro staff.

"It's primarily looking after the junior pathway and supporting the coaches to help young children develop to their full capacity," Walton added.

Mark Walton during his spell at Brighton & Hove Albion

"The other role is supporting the professional players and overcoming any barriers they have regarding learning or performance."

Walton's work in mentoring young sportspeople follows that of his father Ron, a long-time youth team boss at Swansea City who later played cricket for Wales over 60s team.

He hopes to oversee two or three net sessions a week for each age group as well as 10-15 matches per side, provided that coronavirus restrictions are lifted by the summer.

The county has been searching for over a decade to get back to the predominance of home-grown talent on show during their title triumphs of the 1990s and early 2000s.

"It's a matter of identifying and developing talent, hopefully there will be more in place to develop these (future first team players)," Walton told BBC Sport Wales.

"It's not going to happen overnight, though there's a really good crop currently in the academy, but hopefully there'll be a conveyor-belt system."

Glamorgan has fewer public school products than many other counties despite efforts to strengthen links with Monmouth School.

"Our club system is a real strength and needs to be tapped into, geographically it's difficult but we have to give all children an opportunity," he said.

"With the new contract for (Cardiff spin bowler) Prem Sisodiya, he's a massive role model (for the Asian community) and that's an area we need to engage with. Their real passion for cricket is something we can help polish and harness, a real opportunity for the club," said Walton.

With just a few miles between Glamorgan's home at Sophia Gardens and Ninian Park, where Walton played his last UK club football, he is now hoping that his 16 years as a professional sportsman will help produce players with a similarly lengthy career.