Walters happy to keep defying the odds

WHEN he steps out onto the Wembley pitch for this afternoon’s FA Cup final, Jon Walters will struggle to take in the scale of his achievement.

His has been a remarkable journey. Few players in recent times can have taken a more circuitous road to the top of football than the Republic of Ireland international.

In his darkest moments, the Stoke striker must have feared he’d never make the grade.