Walker’s Loan Extended

Colchester United`s Jimmy Walker extended his stay from West Ham this week with a view to a permanent transfer.

The experienced 35-year-old has so far played seven times for the U`s since his arrival, also displacing regular stopper Dean Gerken.

Gerken, this time last year being linked with moves to Reading or West Ham, has had a torrid year-and-a-half since he first seized the goalie gloves from former United hero Aidan Davison.

The young stopper, today playing for Darlington where he went on loan this week, has suffered because of an ever-changing defence since the U`s performed so memorably in the Championship during 2006-7.

Gerken has gone primarily to regain his fitness and challenge the emerging Walker for his jersey, but the journeyman keeper is reputedly keen to stay in Essex long-term.

Manager Paul Lambert had hoped to broker a full-time deal, but the result appears simply to have been the extension of his present loan contract for a further four weeks.

Walker again performed well as Colchester beat Cheltenham Town this weekend.