Thomas Walker OBE (26 May 1915 – 11 January 1993) was a Scottish footballer, who played for Heart of Midlothian, Chelsea and the Scotland national team.

As Scottish clubs could not then officially sign players until the age of 17, Walker played junior football for Linlithgow Rose until his birthday in May.

[4] A talented and elegant inside-forward, Walker quickly earned a place in the Hearts first team, helping the side to victory in the 1933 Jubilee edition of the Rosebery Charity Cup, in a season in which they finished 3rd in the league.

He was a regular first team player by 1933–34 but despite some emphatic victories, inconsistent form limited Hearts to a sixth-place finish.

[6] However, despite scoring 192 league goals for Hearts and playing in sides boasting numerous internationals, such as Scots Dave McCulloch, Barney Battles, Andy Anderson and Alex Massie, Welshman Freddie Warren and Irishman Willie Reid, Walker was destined not to win a major honour as a player at Tynecastle.

Many footballers joined the armed forces, particularly in Edinburgh where few local industries were deemed suitable for reserved occupation status.

Walker's arrival completed the club's impressive new forward line, which also included Tommy Lawton and Len Goulden.

On each occasion, Walker calmly returned the ball and, displaying nerves of steel, converted the penalty at the third attempt.

However, after a single emergency appearance standing in at right-half for a regular player in a 1–0 home defeat by Dundee, Walker wisely retired to concentrate fully on learning the managerial ropes.

[15] Walker was always quick to acknowledge the contribution made by McLean and his fatherly interest in the welfare and development of the players.

The important foundations Walker inherited from McLean included the Terrible Trio forwards (Willie Bauld, Alfie Conn Sr. and Jimmy Wardhaugh), the full back pair of Bobby Parker and Tam McKenzie, and half backs Bobby Dougan and Davie Laing.

During a Scottish Cup quarter final 3–0 defeat away to Aberdeen on 13 March, Parker broke his jaw, Conn injured his back, and Wardhaugh collected a serious shin bone injury.

In October of the 1954–55 season Hearts won their first trophy since 1906, as they beat Motherwell 4–2 in the 1954 Scottish League Cup Final.

After signing Alex Young and Bobby Kirk, Walker's side proceeded to win the 1955–56 Scottish Cup.

The scorers in the cup final win over Celtic were Crawford with two and one from Conn. Conn ended that 1955–56 season at the peak of his powers aged 29 with a career best 29 goals from 41 games.

A capacity crowd watched a tense game in which Rangers keeper, George Niven, was man of the match.

Hearts won the 1958–59 Scottish League Cup, eliminating Rangers in the group stage and winning the final 5–1 against Partick Thistle.

[22][14] After winning three Scottish championships and 19 full Scotland caps with Hibernian, Gordon Smith had a recurring ankle injury which led to his being given a free transfer in 1959.

[26] Hamilton scored for Hearts in that second successive League Cup Final and Young hit the winner, as Third Lanark were beaten 2–1.

[27][22][14] The 1960s saw Hearts fortunes fluctuate as Walker attempted to adapt to football's tactical changes by implementing a 4–2–4 formation.

Smith had an injury hit season leading to his joining Dundee (who became the third club with whom he won the Scottish title).

Cumming scored a deserved equalising penalty for Hearts in the first game 1–1 draw they largely dominated against the Scot Symon managed Rangers.

[14] Another future internationalist, Willie Hamilton, joined for the run culminating in the 1962 Scottish League Cup Final win.

Hearts won the trophy for a fourth time with a 1–0 final win over Willie Waddell's fine Kilmarnock side of that era.

Hearts drew with Dundee United meaning the last game of the season with the two title challengers playing each other at Tynecastle would be a league decider.

Alan Gordon had an excellent chance to clinch the title for Hearts in second half injury time but was denied by a Bobby Ferguson diving save pushing the ball past the post.

[28][29][30] Subsequently, Hearts were instrumental in pushing through a change to use goal difference to separate teams level on points.

The Maroons were struggling to match the standards set by the teams Walker played in and managed, and it was hoped his appointment would prove a fillip.