THERE is a letter among Jon Walters most prized possessions.It comes from Colin Murphy who was assistant manager to Peter Taylor at Hull City and one of the games most colourful characters with more than 40 years experience, including coach of the Vietnamese national team and numerous football league sides.

By Derek Davis

THERE is a letter among Jon Walters most prized possessions.

It comes from Colin Murphy who was assistant manager to Peter Taylor at Hull City and one of the games most colourful characters with more than 40 years experience, including coach of the Vietnamese national team and numerous football league sides.

Walters revealed: “Colin wrote a fantastic letter to me when I left saying I was probably the best professional he had worked with and that I was a testament to myself.

“It was probably the nicest letter I have ever had and reminded me that I was still doing all the things I should despite being at the hospital every day.

“It was fantastic of Colin to send that and there is also Phil Brown who was first team coach at Bolton when I was there so it makes me determined to go there and show them how I have developed.

“It makes me want to go and put on a performance for them and my friends who will be going.

The EADT revealed in January the trauma that Walters suffered when his daughter Scarlett was born with her stomach growing on the outside of her body, she is now fully recovered and a healthy young girl living in Ipswich with Walters and wife Joanne.

Although that was a low point in Walters' personal life, he prefers to look back at his time at Hull City with fondness after scoring five goals in 11 games in his initial loan spell and helping them to success during his second stint, after signing from Bolton.

Walters said: “We had two promotions while I was there so it was a hell of a great two years in that respect.

“I still have many good friends at Hull and when I look back at my days at Hull I don't dwell on the bad times family-wise but with fond memories of the people and football.

“It is still a place I like going to visit, we went there in the summer and the people are lovely.

“I had a great loans spell first time round and the second time I didn't always play and the manager allowed me not to train and start when the events were going on when I was virtually living at the hospital.”

For the first time in the city's history Hull City and rugby league side Hull FC will be playing at the same stadium on the same day but Walters has no doubt which is the bigger sport.

He said: “Football. It is a big rugby city with two rugby teams and football has always had to try and compete but the football fans are fantastic. We were getting full crowds every week when I was there and we moved to the new stadium.

“They were fantastic to me and I love the supporters there and was really appreciative of the reception they gave me.”

A ringing endorsement from the man dubbed the ultimate professional.

derek.davis@archant.co.uk