Lincoln City player exit makes complete sense - Nottingham Forest hype feels a distant memory | OneFootball

Injuries have threatened to not only slow Tyler Walker’s career, but stop its progression completely.

Injuries have threatened to not only slow Tyler Walker’s career, but stop its progression completely.

The Lincoln City striker has been stunted by periods on the sidelines at every possible juncture, but has now been given the chance to salvage his career with a loan to the National League.

Lincoln City return squashed by injuries

Walker returned to Lincoln in the summer of 2023, after an original loan stay, but played just five times before an injury disrupted his second Imps spell.

That was to be a story that repeated itself.

He returned for a cameo appearance on the final day of the season, as City lost to already-crowned champions Portsmouth and saw their play-off hopes put to an end.

Onto this season, he has not played a single time in Sky Bet League One. However, he made a substitute appearance in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy against Morecambe.

It has been a torrid time for the striker, who promised so much in his original loan spell at Lincoln.

Walker was supposed to be the first choice up front for City this term, after returning from the sidelines. But, he was struck by another injury during the Imps’ pre-season camp in Spain and has seen his career firmly derailed once again.

Nottingham Forest highs in the rearview mirror

During his Nottingham Forest days there were high hopes for Walker as an EFL attacker. His pace and energy were key threats, but a dreadful injury record has prohibited him from ever reaching his full potential.

Walker came through the ranks at Forest, following in the footsteps of his England-capped dad, Des, who spent a large portion of his storied career in Nottingham. It was no surprise that the link between them set the scene for Des' son to be a sought-after talent.

He played 45 times for his boyhood club, notching nine goal involvements across his time. Most came before his loan stint in Mansfield, where he began to establish himself as a potent forward.

Injuries started to appear in the first few years of Tyler's career, while hopes still remained that he would reach a high EFL level, with managers and coaches heaping praise on him throughout his early growth.

Before his successful Imps loan, he bagged plenty of goals at Mansfield. He netted 22 league goals across 44 games in the fourth tier, setting up his elevation into League One with Lincoln the following term.

In his initial spell at the LNER Stadium he scored 14 times in 29 league games, setting the scene for what could have been a rise into the second tier. However, the injury bug hit again, and he managed just 21 appearances at Forest and on loan at Bolton Wanderers the following term.

A permanent move to Lincoln in 2023 was set to return him to his former glory. Though, the same old story of time on the sidelines rather than on the pitch returned to haunt him worse than ever.

An opportunity to revive his career

That being said, Walker now has a chance to revive his stagnant career.

A loan move to National League strugglers Wealdstone was agreed, putting an end to his second Lincoln stint by ensuring he will not play for the club again before his summer contract expires.

It presented a new start for the 28-year-old. And, he made full use of it straight off the back. The former Mansfield Town man scored on debut, helping Wealdstone to recover to a 3-3 draw in their fight for safety in the top tier of non-league.

The Stones are in a tussle with the likes of Boston United and Maidenhead United for survival in the Northern League.

Now, Walker has started five successive games after his initial substitute debut.

That is a truly positive sign for the state of his fitness. He could not have dreamed of that sort of game time at Lincoln in his route to getting back into first-team shape, and his switch to Wealdstone has offered him exactly what he needed.

Playing football was a must for the striker if he holds any hopes of returning to consistent football. And, he has already managed to put a step in the right direction.

His exit from Lincoln made complete sense, not a cutting of losses for the Imps at the end of a move that did not work, but instead a realisation that what Walker needed was a consistent run of games no matter the level that occurred at.