Walters' love affair with Hull

JON WALTERS is going to try his hardest to prevent Hull City getting promoted this season, but admits he would love to play for the Tigers gain.Ipswich Town's player of the year and leading scorer spent two spells at Hull.

Derek Davis

JON WALTERS is going to try his hardest to prevent Hull City getting promoted this season, but admits he would love to play for the Tigers gain.

Ipswich Town's player of the year and leading scorer spent two spells at Hull. However, a serious illness to his daughter marred the good times he had on the pitch.

Walters said: “It was the best and worst times of my life at Hull.

“I prefer to remember the good times as it was such a good time to be involved. Winning promotion was fabulous for the club.

“I was there when they went from League Two to league One and then to the championship.

“Hull looked after me so well, Adam Pearson and Peter Taylor were so good to me.

“At some point of my life I would like to go back and play for them again.

“I feel I have unfinished business because I didn't play as much as I would have liked and they didn't see the best of me so I would like to go back.”

All those good feeling for City will be pushed out of Walters thoughts tomorrow, and possibly again next week, as Town try to get into the play-off places at the expense of Hull who are trying to clinch an automatic spot.

If Town win it could mean sixth place, and another two games against third-paced City.

Walters said: “I still have a lot of friends there and will saying hello to a lot of people on Sunday, but I will be doing them no favours.

“We could play them three times in a row and stop them going up twice.”

The mind-games have already started with Walters, on 14 goals, looking to beat the highly-rated Boaz Myhill, who remains a good friend.

Walters said: “I have been giving Boaz a lot of stick for being Welsh and told him to let a couple of goals in tomorrow.

“In fairness he has not let many in all season. He is one of the best keepers I have played with and I have no doubt that he will be a Premier League player one way or another in the next couple of years.”

If the Tigers were to succeed, Walters would be delighted for his old club and their fans.

He said: “Phil Brown did a good job last year to avoid relegation and an unbelievable job to take Hull to where they are now.

“Hull is massive city and the fans there are excellent. They have been waiting a long while now. They have had some success over the past few years with back to back promotions.”

Walters has already picked up the Players' Player of the Year awards and is almost certain to make it a clean sweep tomorrow when the Blues supporters voted for their player of the year, but Walters admits it could have been a better season.

He said: “It has been good in so many ways but needing the operation during the season was disappointing. It affected my level of fitness and sharpness and I still feel it is not quite there and I'm still working towards that.

“The Players' Player was a great one to get because I'm with them day in day out and it is a great accolade but I would happily swap it for promotion.”

Walters' form has caught the eye of the Premier League scouts but while the 24-year-old would love to ply his trade with the big boys he is not ready to walk out on Town.

He said: “Everyone's dream and ambition is to be in the Premier League but last January I signed a three-year contract which demonstrates my commitment to Ipswich.

“Of course I want to play in the Premiership and this club is geared up to be in the Premier League from the training ground, the stadium here, the whole infrastructure and I'm prepared to be patient.”

Supporters can now vote online for their Player of the Season via the supporters' club website www.itfcsupporters.co.uk

Or they can cast their vote before tomorrow's game - supporters club officials will be available around the ground to take your votes.