EFL League Two side Grimsby Town confirmed the signing of attacking midfielder Jamie Walker on Wednesday night.
This comes following an exclusive report by The Lower Tiers that three EFL League Two clubs were interested in the Scotsman, with Grimsby being one of them interested.
This signing also follows the 32-year-old’s departure from Bradford City at the end of the 24/25 campaign. Now it is considered that the signing of the former Hearts man will most likely see him play in a starting role.
Therefore, here are a couple of things that both Grimsby Town fans and EFL fans in general should expect from Walker.
A Clear Playmaking Ability
In signing the 32-year-old, the Blundell Park outfit are gaining a player who possesses a clear playmaking ability. This judgement comes because he assisted six times in EFL League Two last season and netted once.
His statistics also show he had a 77.4% passing accuracy as well as a 67.4% long ball accuracy. Furthermore, Walker had 62 touches in opposition boxes during the 2024/25 campaign. These statistics shows the playmaking ability that the 32-year-old holds and the pressure he puts on oppositions.
This could be especially useful where Grimsby has a foothold in the game and where they are dominant, which are common features of Grimsby’s gameplay.
This can be seen through the fact that Town had a 59.9% tackle success rate and ranked 4th in the English fourth tier last season. Alongside this, the Mariners were able to carry out 427 interceptions last season and ranked second.
A Wealth Of Experience
Through the Scotsman’s career, we can see that the attacking midfielder has a wealth of experience, which you can see in his gameplay.
During his time in the EFL League Two and at Bradford in general, he was able to make 125 appearances. Also, Walker, within his time at the Bantams last season, contributed to them being automatically promoted to the EFL League One.
As well as this, Walker would also bring EFL League One experience to the Mariners because, within his very short time at Wigan, he contributed to Wigan winning EFL League One in the 17/18 season. Also, he would bring even more League One experience from his time at Peterborough.
Another time that we can see Walker is a pure winner in his career is that during his 2021/22 spell at Hearts before joining Bradford, where he helped the Scottish side place second in the Scottish Championship, which led to Hearts being promoted to the Scottish Premiership.
Furthermore, Walker will be a great addition for the Mariners as they are looking to be promoted to EFL League One, as we saw the intent last season with Grimsby finishing just outside the playoffs.
Can Jamie Walker Be Successful At Grimsby Town?
This signing can be seen to have many positives and negatives. However, this can also lead to a number of judgements being expressed. Therefore, the signing probes the question: Can he be successful? Well, yes, if the Mariners use him properly, we saw the midfielder in the 2024/25 campaign play in deep midfield, attacking midfield, and as a striker.
However, some Bradford fans have expressed how good Walker is when he is playing in attacking midfield rather than upfront or deeper in the midfield. Therefore, it can be argued that the Scotsman is a good, even excellent signing if he is used in the correct position. However, if he is not used effectively, the impact of the 32-year-old will be limited.
This will therefore limit the success he can bring to the side. Only time will tell in how Artell will use the midfielder, but it is pivotal that he makes the correct choice if he wants to get the best out of Walker this season and be promoted to EFL League One.
