Charlotte FC, supporters celebrate life of Anton Walkes

PHOTO | CHARLOTTE FC

Charlotte FC players, officials and supporters gathered at Bank of America Stadium Tuesday to remember and celebrate defender Anton Walkes, who died Jan. 19 after a boating collision in Florida at age 25.

“To an Athlete Dying Young” is an elegy written by Victorian poet A.E. Housman and published in 1896, describing how an athlete is carried on the shoulders of the townspeople not only in his moment of victory but also after his death.

The time you won your town the race,
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.
Today, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.

So it was at Bank of America stadium on Tuesday afternoon as the teammates, coaches, executives, and staff of Charlotte FC joined with supporters in a Celebration of Life for Anton Walkes, who died after a boating accident in Miami last Thursday. He was 25 years old and leaves behind his girlfriend Alexis and their daughter Ayla.

Also in attendance were players and coaches from Atlanta United FC, Walkes’ first club in the league and MLS commissioner Don Garber, who spoke first.

“We celebrate this uniquely special, this gracious and this giving young man. As I’ve read so many tributes and listened to those who knew him as a father, as a son, as a teammate, and a friend, one thing was abundantly clear: Anton was a good man.”

“He represented everything that’s great about our sport and everything that’s great about our league.”

The accident happened on Jan. 18 afternoon as the Crown were wrapping up a pre-season training camp in Ft. Lauderdale and preparing to play an exhibition match against St. Louis City FC. That match was cancelled, and the team flew back to Charlotte.

“The strength, the extra strength that we will have this season,” said Charlotte head coach Christian Lattanzio, “without a doubt, will come from Anton.”

Walkes came to the Queen City through the 2021 MLS expansion draft after playing the 2021 season in Atlanta. Born in the southeast London area of Lewisham in England, he came up through the Tottenham Hotspur academy, which he joined at 13. He rose to appear for Spurs senior team in a League Cup match in 2016 but was then loaned out to Atlanta United FC for their inaugural 2017 season and then to Portsmouth FC, scoring on his debut in the English third tier League One that coincided with a successful run for the club. Portsmouth signed him on a full transfer in 2018.

Two years later, he returned to Atlanta in 2020 for one season before being taken by Charlotte.

After playing only 50 minutes in 14 matches under original head coach Miguel Angel Ramirez, Walkes was on the bench for Lattanzio’s first game in charge after Ramirez was dismissed, a 2-1 loss at Seattle. He started and played the full 90 in the next one, a 2-0 home win over New York Red Bulls and became a fixture in central defense, playing all but 45 minutes over the next 19 matches.

In 91 MLS matches for Atlanta and Charlotte, the centerback scored four goals and had one assist. His greater impact was his determined and focused defense, and very much the influence he had on his teammates. He wore the captain’s armband away at LAFC.

He was a resolute and consistent defender, not only of the Charlotte net but also of his teammates when push came to shove. And, as an emotional Andre Shinyashiki attested, that was his character both on and off the pitch.

“The same trustworthiness he had as a friend, he had as a teammate,” Shinyashiki said. “He never backed down from a challenge, a true fighter.

“He enjoyed the little things, the banter before warm-up in training, the bus rides that we dread, every single day just talking smack about players who just sucked in training. He was a guy on the team everyone looked up to, always trying to help people. With Anton, you never had a bad day.”

The celebration included in-person and recorded video tributes from friends in America and England. Dean Rastick, the Tottenham academy director, spoke of his dedication and growth through the Spurs system, and how he was “much loved” throughout all levels of the club.

His impact stretched beyond soccer. Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schoder, who became close with Walkes during his time with the Atlanta Hawks, dedicated his performance in last Friday’s game against Memphis to his friend with both a message written on his shoes and a game-winning three-point play. In an Instagram post, he wrote, “RIP Anton Walkes. This Win was for you My dawg. We gonna miss you brother! Hope you in a better place right now & I’m gonna make sure you going to be proud of us all!”

Despite his physical absence, Walkes will be a big part of the season that kicks off next month.

“We will honor him on a daily basis,” Lattanzio said. “He will be with us home and away.”

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