‘One of our own, always’: Fans mourn death of Anton Walkes after Miami boat crash
Major League Soccer player Anton Walkes died Thursday after a boating accident near Miami Marine Stadium. Walkes, 25, had been playing for Charlotte FC since 2022.
READ MORE: Major League Soccer player Anton Walkes dies in a boating crash near Miami Marine Stadium
“He genuinely loved life here and it was contagious, through the rest of the squad to us in the Supporters Section,” broadcaster James Pike said on Twitter. “One of our own, always.”
Here’s what to know about Walkes as fans around the world reacted to the tragedy.
From England to the MLS
▪ Walkes, who was born in England but is of Jamaican descent, first signed with Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League at 16 years old. After one appearance with Spurs, Walkes was loaned to Portsmouth of England’s League One and the MLS’ Atlanta United in 2017.
▪ He stayed with those same teams for two seasons: Portsmouth from 2018 to 2020 and Atlanta United from 2020 to 2021.
▪ Though Walkes started in all but six games with Atlanta over 2017 and 2020-2021, he was left exposed for the 2021 expansion draft. Charlotte selected him, and he started 21 games in 23 appearances last season.
▪ Walkes was in South Florida at the time of his death with Charlotte FC as the team held a 12-day training camp in Fort Lauderdale to start the 2023 preseason, the Charlotte Observer reported.
Soccer world remembers Walkes
This story was originally published January 19, 2023 at 12:37 PM.
