Town shot-stopper Christian Walton says the goalkeepers’ union at Portman Road is fully supportive of each other following his return to the Blues’ starting XI last month.

Manager Kieran McKenna replaced Aro Muric with Walton for Town’s victory over Chelsea in December and has kept the Cornish glovesman as his current number one, with Walton having started the last four Premier League matches on the spin.

Muric had made a series of errors in the weeks leading up to the change between the sticks, including notable mistakes against Brentford, Bournemouth and Newcastle United.

Now Walton has the shirt, he has emphasised the importance of the strong unity between the entire goalkeeping department and the support that the substitute goalkeeper brings to the one selected to play on a matchday.

“Of course I want to play, the manager picks the team so it’s his decision,” he said. “I was doing everything I could possible to make sure I was ready for when the time came, whether it’s an injury, lack of form, suspension, just making sure I was ready personally to be in the best position to do what I can do and help the team.

“Almost making it an easy transition in that it goes a bit unnoticed when the goalie gets changed it’s not a massive thing and making it as smooth as possible for the team, I feel like I’ve done that.

“It’s tough for Aro losing his position but that’s the life of a goalie and I had the same last year. It’s about working hard together.

“You always put yourself in their shoes and if I was playing I’d want everyone in the goalie group to be supportive of me, it works both ways.

“It’s always about being supportive of any teammate, whether it’s a defender or striker it doesn’t matter, but making sure you’re there for each and every one of each other is important. The goalie group is really good here.

“[Aro] is a really good guy and he’s great for the group. He’s had his time playing this year and I’m playing at the minute so it’s working out for both. Being supportive of each other is really important.”

Since promotion from League One in 2023, Walton has had to get used to not playing regular football. Having suffered a foot injury on the eve of last season, he spent the entire campaign as second choice behind Vaclav Hladky.

“I was always coming into training with a smile on my face because it’s such a good environment to be a part of,” Walton said.

“It’s tough on a Saturday at three o’clock when you’re sat on the bench and feel like you should be playing. That was difficult because the team were winning every week.

“The challenges were tough but the group are supportive of any player that doesn’t play, whether you’re playing or not playing you get the full support of the players, coaches and everyone at the club. It’s not just the starting XI that anyone worries about, it’s the whole group.

“That was the position I picked I suppose, I knew it going into it but it’s tough. The goalie union they talk about is really crucial because you’re training with them every single day so you need to have a good relationship with the other goalies and the coach.

“At the same time I was frustrated that I wasn’t playing when I felt like I should have been playing, but me being like that and working hard in training pushes the person that is starting every week. It has it’s positive effect all round.”

Another member of the goalkeeping group who has had an impact since the moment he arrived last summer is third-choice Cieran Slicker, with the former Manchester City man widely praised for his attitude in training every day and called up by Scotland at full level for the first time in November.

Walton agreed: “Really good. He got the Scotland recognition in the last international break so that was amazing for him to go away with them.

“He’s obviously not played as much as he’d probably have liked, similar to me at that age he probably wants to get out and play football and improve. In training he’s great for the group, that’s why he’s still here and with the group because he brings a lot.”

Lead goalkeeping coach Rene Gilmartin has been credited for the positive work he has put in with Walton, Muric, Slicker and Hladky during their times at the club, but he is not alone in the coaching unit at Playford Road.

Former Liverpool and West Ham United goalkeeper David Martin had an impactful career throughout the EFL and joined the Blues alongside Gilmartin as his assistant last summer.

“He’s a really great guy, full of experience and has seen it at every level,” Walton said of Martin. “He’s been really good for me when I wasn’t playing to work with him and ask him questions on stuff he’s seen.

“He’s a new face to the club so to get his opinion on how I am as a goalie and what he thinks he could help me improve on. It’s been a good relationship and he’s been good for the younger goalies at the club as well.”

On the overall core squad at Town, Walton added: “The group is really good, the manager wouldn’t have it any other way. We knew what we were up against this year stepping into the Premier League, we weren’t naïve about that.

“There’s always going to be challenges, even when we beat Chelsea and backed it up with a good result at Fulham we weren’t getting ahead of ourselves. We still did the same things on the Monday and Tuesday when we came in and debriefed the game. It’s just about staying on the right track and doing the right things.

“As a group we’ve got some big characters in there and a lot of experience in the dressing room. We’ll be bringing in more players through this window as we’ve been already, integrating them as quickly as possible and being the group we have been for the last three years is going to be really important.”

After a successful season in League One two years ago, Walton was linked with a move away from Portman Road but opted to remain at the club ahead of the Blues’ return to the Championship.

Then, after not featuring through Town’s incredible promotion to the Premier League, the former Brighton and Hove Albion man was again spoken about as a potential departure for more regular game time last summer when a one-year option was triggered on his contract.

Walton again remained and signed a new two-year contract in September, with the shot-stopper admitting there were some brief thoughts about moving on without progressing further.

“Maybe a little bit but not massively,” the 29-year-old said. “I always had full belief that I would be able to get back in the team here even off the back of making transfers in the summer.

“I always had belief that I was going to play for Ipswich and it’s the club I want to play for. To get the first game of the season was nice then I signed a new contract off the back of that and I’m settled here.

“Last year was a bit of a weird one with getting injured but I’ve always had belief in myself that I was going to get back in the team at some point, it was just making sure I was doing the right things.

“To be part of this group in the Premier League was something I wanted to be a part of.”

Cornwall is not known for producing many top professional footballers and Wadebridge-born Walton is one of only a handful to have played in the Premier League.

Nigel Martyn was one of those, having played for Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Everton in the top flight as well as earning 23 caps for England.

Walton said: “I was aware of that. He was born not far from where I grew up and I know a lot of people who know him. It would be nice to follow in his footsteps and play the number of Premier League games that he’s played.

“It’s great for Cornish football that myself, him and Jack Stephens at Southampton have all made it to play in the Premier League.”

TWTD

bringonbrazil added 09:46 - Jan 24 Super Christian Walton in goal. The players and fans look more confident with Walton in goal. Inspiring confidence is what a great keeper does. Keep him in. None of the man city onslaught was down to him.
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Marinersnose added 11:35 - Jan 24 Unfortunately I think this is an area that we need to strengthen. Neither Muic or Walton are comfortable with their feet and both are prone to silly errors. A top keeper sets a team many additional points. Hladky proved his worth last season. He also made mistakes but the risk reward game McKenna plays will always lead to the odd mistakes by GK and players alike
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BeattiesBackPocket added 13:04 - Jan 24 Bringonbrazil it’s amazing you say that when Walton has also made mistake last two games to the point Brighton fans were calling his name as ‘one of their own’. As much as when he first come in he looked way better he still has mistakes and not great with his feet like Muric but it’s unreal that it’s not noticed maybe because his names not Muric. Agree with you marinersnose we need better. I’d go all out if we can for Kelleher in the summer as he’s available on a free and showed he can play start of the season setting Liverpool on their way to being unbeaten.

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baxterbasics added 13:18 - Jan 24 Hope that Walts and Muric really are more supportive of each other than some fans are! Too many of us seem to have set up camp in either "team Muric" or "Team Walton" and not given the other the right support when chosen to play. I suggest we trust in KM to make the right call game by game and get behind whoever is put between the sticks.
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