Steve Walford On Spurs, Arsenal And Coaching Alongside Martin O’Neill | OneFootball

You began your professional journey at Tottenham Hotspur, a club renowned for nurturing young talent. A few years later, you made the bold and surprising move to Arsenal, a transition that undoubtedly raised eyebrows given the fierce rivalry between the two clubs. What was your experience like coming through the ranks at Spurs, and how did the transfer to their North London rivals come about?

“Well, I left school and joined Tottenham as an apprentice. At the time, Bill Nicholson, the legendary manager, was in charge, but he ended up getting the sack. Terry Neill took over at Spurs, and for some reason, he seemed to take a liking to me. So, in 1975, when I was around 17, I found myself with the first team most of the time. I made my debut and played another game, but then I got injured in a youth cup match. That’s when I had my meniscus removed, which was quite a significant operation back then. I didn’t play again that season.

“That summer, Terry left to take the Arsenal job, and Keith Burkinshaw came in at Spurs. I’m not sure he was too keen on me, to be honest. I made a couple of substitute appearances at first, but after that, I seemed to drift out of his plans and didn’t feature for him again.”

When Terry moved to Arsenal, were you fazed at all about following him there?

“No, I didn’t know I was going to follow him there. At the time, I was at Tottenham, and that’s where I wanted to be. It wasn’t until about eight months later that I found out he wanted to bring me to Arsenal.

“To be honest, I was an Arsenal supporter as a kid, so the opportunity to join them was something I couldn’t turn down. That was it—I made the move.”

At Arsenal, you had the unforgettable experience of playing in the 1979 FA Cup Final against Manchester United—a match that’s still celebrated as one of the most dramatic in the competition’s history. United staged a late comeback through goals from McQueen and McIlroy, only for Alan Sunderland to win it for your Arsenal side with a last-gasp winner. What was it like for you to step onto the Wembley pitch that day and be part of such an iconic moment in FA Cup history?

“You know, it was a bit of a dream day, I suppose. I came on for the final moments when everything kicked off, so maybe I was partly to blame for how dramatic it got! But no, it really was a dream. As a young kid, you always imagine yourself playing in a Cup Final at Wembley, and to actually be there was incredible.

“I remember the last time I’d been to Wembley was in 1972, trying to get in when Arsenal lost the league. So, to be playing there in ’79 felt especially meaningful, particularly after missing out on the squad that lost to Ipswich the year before. It was a very special day and to win the FA Cup was something that meant a lot to me and everyone at the club as a whole.”

Your transition into coaching has been closely tied to Martin O’Neill, with whom you worked alongside throughout his managerial career. Did you ever feel tempted to step into a managerial role yourself, or were you content focusing on the partnership and your role alongside Martin?

“No, I was more than happy being a coach. I completed all my badges while I was still playing, which was no small task back then—they were much more complicated than they are now. Over the years, I kept everything up to date and eventually qualified as a Pro Licence coach.

“I loved being on the pitch, working directly with players, and focusing on the coaching side of things. I never really had ambitions to step into management. I think it’s something you’re either cut out for, or you simply enjoy the role you’re in—and I genuinely enjoyed what I did.

“Martin was brilliant with the team, especially in the dressing room and on matchdays. I handled the training sessions, kept the players ticking over, and took care of whatever needed doing on a day-to-day basis.

“Martin wasn’t particularly interested in the coaching side of things during the week—he was very much a matchday manager, and that approach suited our dynamic perfectly. We also had John Robertson, who had a similar mindset to Martin. I just focused on the coaching, and the setup worked really well for all of us.”

You experienced a lot of success with Martin, starting at Leicester City—winning the First Division playoffs, two League Cups, and establishing the club in the Premier League. What are your memories of that time?

“It was unbelievable. When we first arrived, I don’t think we won any of our first six games. The crowd was right on top of us, but we managed to turn things around, put a run together, and just about sneaked into the playoffs on the final day of the season.

“Getting promoted was fantastic, especially with Steve Claridge’s last-minute winner. It was heading to penalties, and he miskicked it—but somehow it flew into the top corner! To then not only stay up in the Premier League but also win the League Cup in our first season was incredible.

“We ended up reaching three League Cup Finals—losing one to Tottenham but winning two. We had a strong team with players like Neil Lennon, Muzzy Izzet, and Matt Elliott, who later played for Scotland. More than anything, though, it was our team spirit that carried us. It was a special group, and that unity took us a long way.”

At Celtic, you arrived at a club in turmoil after they had lost the league title to Rangers by a distance prior to your arrival, yet you turned it around and won a treble in your first season. What was the key to that transformation?

“We brought in good players like Chris Sutton, Joos Valgaeren, and Didier Agathe, but there were good players already there—Henrik Larsson, who was injured the year before, Lubo Moravcik, Jackie McNamara. Lubo was unbelievable—the only player I’ve seen with two feet like that was Glenn Hoddle.

“We gelled well, played a formation that suited the players, and built belief. Winning the treble was unbelievable, especially with Rangers being so dominant. It was Celtic’s first treble since Jock Stein, which I didn’t even realise at the time.”

What was it like working with big personalities like Chris Sutton?

“Chris was a big signing for us and a fantastic player—very underrated. He could play in multiple positions and do a job for us. He had a poor season at Chelsea, but his character was… unique. You either loved him or loathed him.

“But he was fantastic for us, especially with Henrik. They were on fire together.”

You also achieved success in Europe, reaching the UEFA Cup Final in 2003. Did you prepare for European games differently than domestic matches?

“Yes, we studied the opposition more. In Scotland, we already knew the teams and players. But in Europe, we weren’t as familiar, so we relied on videos and detailed analysis.

“Even then, you sometimes didn’t realise how good they were until you got on the pitch. It was a different level of preparation.”

“It was harder. At Celtic, the expectation was to win every game. At Villa or Sunderland, you’d get players who didn’t believe they could beat the likes of Manchester United.

“At Villa, we finished sixth three years in a row, reached a League Cup Final, and an FA Cup semifinal. But it ended with a fallout between Martin and the owner.

“At Sunderland, we kept them up but didn’t progress as we would have liked.”

Finally, Steve, what was it like working at international level with Ireland alongside Martin and Roy Keane?

“It was different. You’re away for weeks at a time, which can get boring for staff and players.

“However, we got to two European Championships, which was brilliant, but losing to Denmark in the World Cup playoffs was a low point.”