FAI Senior International Player of the Year – Jonathan Walters, was an elite-level Irish striker who also won Ipswich Town Player of the Year.

After showing true grit and determination to climb up the English footballing pyramid, Walters signed for Stoke City in 2010. His game changing performances at Ipswich left the Potters with no choice but to get his signature. The Irishman went on to help Stoke reach the 2011 FA Cup Final, after scoring twice in the semi-final against Bolton Wanderers. Walters played 54 matches during the 2011–12 season. Becoming a major player for Stoke meant that Walters broke into the Republic of Ireland national team, playing for his home nation at UEFA EURO 2012. Due to his top work rate and technical ability, Walters remained a regular at Stoke under Tony Pulis and Mark Hughes, scoring an impressive 62 goals in 271 appearances. Walters scored five times for the Republic of Ireland in 2015 during the nation’s successful UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. Subsequently, he was given the FAI Senior International Player of the Year award.

Walters has moved into the world of media after finishing his playing career. He has appeared on a number of major television networks including the BBC for their iconic Match of the Day show and Virgin Media Sport. In 2021, he started working with the Republic of Ireland’s under-19’s, with a successful career in coaching on the horizon.