The new boss at the Oval hasn't yet got his feet under the table after confirmation of his appointment, but he will have to work very quickly.

A handful of the current first-team squad have worked under Walker's management before - although one of the first things he will have to do is decide on the futures of four of them who are out of contract.

Departed manager Paul Millar wanted to offer new contracts to Gary Smyth, Mark Glendinning, Darren Lockhart and Chris Morgan. Walker hasn't been around to judge them over the last 12 months, not at close quarters anyway, although he has watched plenty of matches in his role as a BBC Radio Ulster pundit.

Past experience may just come into it though, as Walker will know exactly what each of those four brings off the pitch as well.

Morgan won the first two of his five Irish League medals while Walker was in charge at Crusaders in 1995 and 1997. As a youngster he backed up experienced strikers Stephen Baxter and the club's record goalscorer Glenn Hunter.

It was there that Morgan learned his trade and went on to add three further titles, two with Linfield and one with the Glens two years ago.

Darren Lockhart came into the Crusaders first-team just a little too late to get his hands on the Gibson Cup while on the Shore Road. He did, however, benefit from working under Walker early in his career before going on to be one of Glentoran's key men under Roy Coyle, winning two League titles and two Irish Cups.

Glendinning and Smyth have more recent experience of playing under Walker. They were both part of the Glenavon squad during his time in charge at Mourneview Park.

Both were still at the Lurgan club when Walker departed in 2000, with Smyth leaving just a few months later and Glendinning joining him at Glentoran at the end of the campaign.

The fifth member of the group that will know Walker's methods well is the one member of the squad who is virtually guaranteed his place in the team.

Elliott Morris was just out of school when he was part of the Crusaders European squad that took on Dinamo Tbilisi in the European Cup in 1995.

The goalkeeper, who lives in the shadows of Seaview, was already on his way to West Bromwich Albion at that stage and provided cover for Kevin McKeown in Europe, so therefore, technically, has yet to actually play a game under the man who will be his new manager.