[3] Walsh signed for John Rudge's Port Vale on a Bosman transfer in June 1998, with the tribunal setting a fee of £100,000 plus £75,000 in appearance-based clauses.
[3] His contribution to the 1999–2000 season was ended in early October by cruciate ligament and cartilage problems sustained from a tackle by Swindon Town left-back Sol Davis.
[3] Walsh made 48 appearances in 2000–01, and went on to receive his only honour at the club in 2001, as he helped Vale to beat Brentford 2–1 in the Football League Trophy final at the Millennium Stadium.
[13] By February 2004 he was on the road to recovery,[14] but the next month picked up a neck injury in a collision with Barnsley's Chris Shuker, meaning another operation.
"[19] He retired from the professional game at the age of 29, and later turned out for local Northern Premier League Division One South side Alsager Town.
[20] Walsh was a central defender with pace, as well as excellent positional, heading and ball control skills; however, he was also extremely injury prone.