The rise and fall of Walsall FC and 24/25 form
Walsall FC. Where do we start? A football club originating all the way back in 1888 becoming one of the founders of the second division from the black country and located in the West Midlands. “The Saddlers” comes from a long history of saddle manufacturing and the nickname has been written into the Walsall history books still to this day, but the name “Walsall” has been coming up recently or especially so in the last year for the good and the bad.
So today we’re gonna go through Walsall’s 24/25 campaign so far and swivel into the ups and downs of an insanely heart racing season for Mat Sadler’s men. But before we jump into a whirlwind of a season I’d like to jot down the significance of the season and why it’s come to a stage where every time you have a look on your socials – it’s the name “Walsall” on the people’s lips.
Riding the Walsall form wave, Mat Sadler
Former Walsall player Mat Sadler, who played for them 2019-2022, had his last say in his playing career when he was called upon to take the interim role as Walsall head coach for the time being after the departure of present Cheltenham manager Michael Flynn who’s time was cut short on April 19th, 2023. Flynn, who picked up a 31% point percentage in his time in the black country, was sacked with Walsall placed 15th in Sky Bet League Two meaning that they were in need for a leader to take on the role as head coach and in stepped former player Mat Sadler, fresh from his playing days but wasn’t here to play, he was here to take over until they could find a successor to Flynn’s mid table mess.
Walsall had 3 games left of a lousy 22/23 campaign and with Sadler picking up 4 points, it put him in for close contention for the full time job as Saddlers gaffer and that is exactly what happened as in the following season, Walsall FC had announced that Mat Sadler had been appointed Walsall head coach on May 18th, 2023. Fast forward to the end of his first season as Walsall manager and it’s a season where a Saddlers fan can look fondly upon on as it looked and definitely seemed to be a change of tides for West Midlands based side as Sadler forged Walsall to a respectable 11th place finish, which also highlighted their highest League Two finish since coming down from the third division, so it was promising signs in the black country and at the time being had shown everyone what Mat Sadler was all about- as he had proved many critics of his appointment wrong.
A successful campaign came to an end meaning that there was a new season on the horizon and many were thinking after an exhilarating and gigantic summer window- “could we get promoted?”. Since his appointment as Walsall gaffer, Sadler has picked up 48 wins, 25 draws and 36 losses across all competitions, which gives him a positive record so far in his tenure at the club.
‘Lowe’ and behold the Saddlers
So the season had started! After a long summer of international football, ins and outs and a hot pre-season- Walsall’s 24/25 had become underway with their first game on their own patch at home at the Bescot with Derek Adams’ Morecambe being the opposition.
What a start it would be for Mat Sadler’s side as they would be taking 3 points from their first game with centre half Taylor Allen, who by the near end of the season would be having a star season, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win. Soon it would be Swindon away coming up for the second game of the season and it was definitely known that this could be a lot more trickier for Walsall to break down with a well structured Mark Kennedy side standing in their way. But it had seemed that it may have been the easiest test that Walsall would see all season with a 4-0 thumping, breaking down Swindon to pieces and making them feel lost within themselves.
Josh Gordon, Jamille Matt, Taylor Allen and Albert Adomah forging the Saddlers towards the 3 points and putting together a great performance to put on record for Sadler’s men.
Fast forward to December 7th and Walsall would sit just behind top spot with league leaders Port Vale next up on the fixture list, it was time for Mat Sadler to show Darren Moore what his team are made of and how they would like to know the Valiants off the top spot and for Walsall to go on that fully deserved promotion push. And they did just that! On a cold, wet and rainy day in Burslem turned out to be Port Vale under the clouds as Walsall grinded out a 1-0 win to send that away end and the black country mental.
This result meant that there would be a new team sitting on the throne at the end of the day and that team was Walsall. But you’ve got to be wondering how did Mat Sadler and his team get to this point of the season and flying at the front in League Two? Well it’s definitely been a team effort but it definitely couldn’t have been done without Stoke City academy graduate and loanee Nathan Lowe at the helm.
The Nathan Lowe influence
19 year old and fresh out of the academy, Nathan Lowe would be sent out on loan to the West Midlands to get some well needed experience and game time in the EFL, also adding on to see how he can adapt to mens football with a click flash.
Even though Lowe had played at mens level with Stoke City and not doing a bad job at all, it was still noticeable that he needed to play every week to help his development as player and this was an opportunity for Lowe to show what he’s made of and what Stoke City could have their hands in the future.
We didn’t expect for him to break the standards to the brink but we saw the potential in him to do well for Walsall but I don’t think that was his aim by looking at things because it seemed himself and Walsall wanted to break records! A fanatical first half of the season for Nathan Lowe scoring 15 goals and assisting 5, helping Walsall to go on a 9 game winning streak and as I said earlier, his goals and performances had put Walsall on the front of the League Two table going into January.
A 12.7 expected goals range and putting him in the 95.4% category, which shows us how clinical and reliable he has been to Mat Sadler this season when picking him.
An untouchable 14 point gap
Walsall’s season was looking like a classic and a campaign that not even one sole could ever forget, especially when you look bang on for promotion when having a gap like no other before and also mentioning that the momentum that Walsall had on other teams, which made them unbreakable when playing.
With Lowe scoring, Taylor defending and Adomah dancing- it seemed as if Walsall were top of the world, which they were but it wasn’t the only thing Walsall were top of! Everything seemed to be clicking, Vale fell off, no consistency in the top 10 and absolutely no one chasing the Saddlers down.
So it meant that for the time being Walsall could put their feet up and have no worry about who was coming up next and how to win because every time they stepped onto the pitch it was just goals and wins coming off it. Nothing could go wrong for Walsall here on their push for promotion. Or could it?
A ‘Lowe’ moment in Walsall’s season
There was always speculation of whether Stoke would have any interest in bringing Lowe back to the Bet365 as the Staffordshire based side were hoping that Lowe could replicate his form into the Championship but until it was true, Walsall had to keep on pushing on while they had him under their reign.
And the rumours were true, a 5-1 demolition job at the Bescot would be the last time Nathan Lowe would step wear a red and black striped shirt, in a game where he actually scored and assisted so at least he had contributed in his last act as a Walsall player, but the question was… where do Mat Sadler and his side go on from here?
When an important player of that sort of value and a player that has done so much for you in your push for promotion, it becomes quite hard to find someone to replicate or find a player with form that Lowe had prolonged in his time at the club. But realistically, Walsall should be fine without Lowe or that is how it seemed in Walsall’s first game after his departure as they tore apart a fallen MK Dons team 4-2 with 3 of the 4 goals coming from defenders! It has definitely been a team work defined season for the Saddlers but this is the time where they definitely need to come together and show their own pieces of quality to get them over the line.
Saddlers finally broke down, but is this the start of the fall?
Bradford away coming up, one of the best home records in the league and make themselves hard to beat on their own patch so it was gonna be a test for the Saddlers but a test that could be dealt with- if dealt with properly. A starting two up front with Adomah and Matt leading the line but Matt’s game had been cut short due to injury, meaning Danny Johnson would be Albert Adomah’s man in crime.
Other than that it was a solid and a predictable side for Walsall so you’ve got to think that losing a one man means that you don’t lose your whole monument surely? Well apparently it can. Mat Sadler’s men were ripped apart by Graham Alexander’s Bradford 3-0 on the day with goals coming from Antoni Sarcevic and a double from Alex Pattison forged the Chickens to a eye opening victory at Valley Parade.
Up next was a raw Fleetwood team, a new manager recently at the helm and a loss to bottom of the league Carlisle had really built this fixture up to it’s potential to be a cracker and sort of a way for Walsall to get well needed revenge over the Cods as they suffered a 6-2 thrashing at the Bescot- that was their last league loss before going on that defiant unbeaten run, that run ended against Bradford City only a couple days before this battle at Highbury. But once again Walsall’s fortunes were telling a story, losing 2-0 to Fleetwood away from home in a pragmatic one sided affair.
This was becoming a feature most weekends now on the bounce! As the next week Danny Johnson revived Walsall, scoring two goals to take a two points off opponent Salford, another away loss against the Cowley’s Colchester Utd and a soulless draw at home against a fallen Gillingham side. Mat Sadler and his team had a big problem on their hands because it seemed that Walsall had gone to pieces and couldn’t find a way to pick them back up. The only thing saving Walsall right now is their major point gap, which surely can’t be pulled back?
Three points were back in the hands of Walsall.
No wins in five and five poor performances to say the least that Walsall’s fortunes may be gone at last but with a decent Chesterfield side coming up to the Bescot next, you have to be thinking things can’t get any worse? And it didn’t! A battling home performance meant that goals from Jamille Matt, Ellis Harrison and Levi Amantchi would be sending Walsall fans home with 3 points and smiles on their faces in a well-fought 3-1 win.
Next up they had a broken Morecambe to face, but just because they were broken it doesn’t mean that they would make themselves easy to play against. Once again, Walsall battled, fought and grinded out the three points away from home with a curling free kick from Taylor Allen and a thumping finish from Jamie Jellis- maybe we had all been wrong? Maybe Walsall just had a little slip up but are now back to business? No it was definitely just a blip in a struggling time for the Saddlers.
Walsall fall off the throne and pass the crown on
In a season where Walsall were looking to break records, steal headlines and reach for the stars- it’s becoming and there’s no other way to put this, a disastrous season. But Walsall still had a massive gap on other teams below and it seemed as long as they just picked up and grind a few results along the way they should be fine to at least go up.
You’ve got to think that after two well put together wins, Walsall can try to build some momentum again? Nope, absolutely not. A late Cheltenham equaliser stopped Walsall from taking all three points back to the black country, a poor loss at home to a aggressive Ian Holloway Swindon, an even more so lousy draw against bottom Carlisle, before being destroyed by playoff chasing Grimsby, once again drawing to Gillingham, Taylor Allen coming to the rescue to save a point v Wimbledon and Danny Johnson’ late equaliser in Yorkshire as they took on Doncaster Rovers.
No I actually can’t believe I’m saying this but the gap was narrowed down to just TWO points with Bradford and Port Vale just behind. And you would never guess who the Saddlers had coming up next? The same side they knocked off top spot in December…Darren Moore’s Port Vale.
The ‘Black Country’ massacre
If Walsall were to lose, it would mean for the first time since December 7th- League two would have a new leader at the front of the table and it would be either Port Vale and Bradford level on points if both were to pick up the maximum.
And there it was! A double for Swiss striker Lorent Tolaj and a thunderous strike from skipper Ben Garrity meant that Walsall were finally knocked off top spot! Walsall had practically fallen to their knees, the club felt lost within themselves and a season with high hopes and hard work could all end up meaning nothing.
With Bradford winning also it would mean that they were the ones to finish top for the day level on points with Vale and to make things worse Doncaster had also won late on away at Cheltenham. The problem of that silverware slowly slipping away was an already seen problem and one that had been on the horizon for a while but Walsall definitely have bigger problems now as there’s a massive chance that they slip out of the automatics if things don’t change ASAP.
Saddlers brawl it out
Walsall had to put things right. Just 2 wins in 16 for Mat Sadler’s side and the results were showing, as performance levels were dimming, fans were found furious and many were calling for Sadler to be sacked.
But as I said, Walsall have a chance to make things right and push on for promotion as they were going away to a well structured Barrow side, who have already had a massive say on this promotion race. And it was not the start Walsall wanted in a game that meant so much as they were stamped down a goal to nil at the break when Barrow striker Aaron Pressley latched onto a loose ball and pounced the ball home.
Sadler needed to make changes quickly and that was noticeable, but might have not been that noticeable to him. He finally made the changes 10/20 minutes into the second half bringing of pace and legs to try to get a goal back and the subs were Amantchi for Harrison, Adomah for Matt and Hall for Lakin- there was an obvious game plan going into the second half but the story of this disastrous, post January is that Sadler won’t drop his natural tactics, which could lead to predictable holes in the game.
That was that. It was definitely game over after Barrow found goal number two of the day and put a stamp on this one sided contest. The fumes of the away end rang around and didn’t help at all once the players came over to respect and clap the supporting travellers who travelled an amount of 6 hours across the day and they let their feelings know.
Another loss for Sadler’s men and you’ve got to feel that this outrageous win less run had to come to an end soon and it needed to be soon as the gap could start to grow very quickly, with Harrogate at home coming up next- a side who hadn’t scored away for 8 games in a row, you just had to feel that a win was coming Walsall’s way.
Mistake riddled Walsall save themselves again
Changes had to be and were made going into this game which could be vital and very much decision making in their road for promotion. Hall and the formally M.I.A centre back Harry Williams, who had massive speculation over the last couple of week why Sadler was leaving him out, replaced Brandon Comley and Donervon Daniels after their loss away at Barrow on Saturday- and with it being Good Friday, Walsall were also hoping it was gonna be a Good Friday for them as well.
At this time of struggle, Walsall needed a lot of luck just to steady the ship and that luck came early as a cross swung in on the right went through every man before it found Harrogate centre back, there to put it in his own net.
But the luck did not last for long as some horrifying defending caused a mania of problems at the back and with attempting getting the ball out of the Saddlers 6-yard box, the ball fell in the air at perfect height for Josh March to powerfully lob it over the goalkeeper Tommy Simkin and level the scores after just 22 minutes gone by.
A slow start to the second half and it was starting to become flat until a looping long throw in came flying into the box causing Walsall players to attack it, but maybe not all at once as many bodies came toward the floating throw in meaning space was open to latch fire and after the ball was knocked back a shot from Ellis Taylor took a major deflection and somehow bundled and found it’s way into the Walsall net. Heavy boos rang around the away end in anger of Walsall’s poor defending and performance.
Walsall were lost, they tried different things and changes all game and still nothing seemed to be working, and once again Walsall were asking for a tiny bit of luck to save Walsall’s and the endangered job of Mat Sadler. And that luck arrived very late on! Substitute Nathan Asiimwe put his whole foot through the ball and whacked it up to try to cause havoc in the dying seconds of normal time and in the flying ball, he found Jamille Matt, who took down the ball and knocked it to midfielder Ryan Stirk with room to shoot but decided to go for the wide option which was Liam Gordon who opened up his body, took the shot and after bobbling across goal it found the bottom corner as the full back came to the rescue to save the day at the Bescot.
The full time whistle went and even after putting a point on the board, the fans were still enraged after Sadler’s team performance.
Sadler states his team are “fighting”
Walsall head coach Mat Sadler spoke after their 2-2 draw against Harrogate as full back Liam Gordon stole a point late on in their push for promotion.
Q: Mat, it’s a 2-2 draw against Harrogate, give us your thoughts?
MS: “I thought we started the first half really well and first 20 minutes I really enjoyed the way that we played. We wanted to affect their back four with our wingback and we showed that with the goal, we nearly scored again with a similar move which is something we massively highlighted.”
This shows to me that Sadler does have an obvious game plan to start and going forward but seems to me that there’s a certain stubbornness in not changing it throughout the game to only suit himself, which heavily worked first half of the season, but over time your gonna get caught out when you do something repetitive every game and have low thought of changing it to win the game.
SA: “We’ve got a group of fighters and they fought till the very end, I thought we showed composure.”
Did you though Mat? Both of them goals maybe had too much composure meaning that Harrogate had too long to make decisions and force mistakes with the back line. As you said you’ve got “a group of fighters”, if you’re suggesting scoring a last minute equaliser against a team who hasn’t scored in 8 away games before this and scored twice against your side- it actually shows a lack of composure and bitterness.
Q: I can imagine there’s a lot of gutted lads in there that it wasn’t three points, but there is that never say die attitude and this point could mean be massive at the end of it and could also mean nothing at the end of it.
MA: “It certainly means something because it shows what we’re about and the togetherness of everybody and the willingness to not accept our fate.”
Mat, you’ve just let a 14 point lead go, performances have knocked down massively and fans are sick of the results, something has to change because if these three points don’t come soon- it could be the end of the road for promotion and your tenure at Walsall would be at risk. Yes, you’ve just got a point and yes it’s better than a win but it’s nowhere near convincing for a team in a promotion fight and as Sadler said “We’re still fighting”.
That was just a small part of his post-match interview after a Good Friday draw at home against Harrogate and I want to give my reasons and bullet why Walsall have dropped off and why their season is in jeopardy?
● Sadler’s stubbornness to not change in game tactics.
● Dropping and leaving out arguably best centre half at the club Harry Williams for no noted reason as of now.
● Poorly timed substitutions which can come costly (ect. Walsall 2-3 Port Vale)
● Not replacing in form and momentum carrying loanee Nathan Lowe with good enough players.
● Losing momentum once Lowe left and not finding a way to narrow the reason down and carry on with their promotion charge.
Just to name a few but that’s my say on Walsall’s unbelievable drop off and the fall of what was looking like a record breaking season for the Saddlers.
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