Walsall F.C.
[1]: 7 [3] Later that year, Walsall Town Swifts played friendly matches against two founder members of the Football League; a strong Burnley side were beaten 1–0 and West Bromwich Albion were held to a 2–2 draw in front of 7,000 spectators at the Chuckery.Walsall's highest "home" attendance was set in 1930, when they played in of front of 74,646 fans in a 3–1 defeat to Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round.[1]: 28 In the years from 1921 leading up to World War II Walsall's success remained limited, with finishes of 3rd in 1922–23, 5th in 1932–33 and 4th in 1933–34 the closest the club came to achieving promotion.In the 1947–48 season a number of impressive turnouts at Fellows Park, including a season-best 20,383 for the visit of Notts County, saw the club record its highest average league attendance to date of 15,711.An unfortunate defeat to Charlton Athletic in a replayed final match of the season sealed Walsall's relegation, as the London club leapfrogged them in the table to survive.He was sold to First Division Fulham for a then club record fee of £37,500 in March 1966 and went on to earn 19 caps for England and win a league title at Leeds United.This saw the beginning of an era that became a hallmark for some of the most attractive football seen in Walsall as, under the guidance of Buckley, the side gradually established itself as promotion contenders in the Third Division.The dilapidated state of the club's Fellows Park home was becoming a problem and, in 1982, the intention to move in to groundshare Molineux with Wolverhampton Wanderers was announced by owner Ken Wheldon.After victories over Blackpool, Barnsley and local rivals Shrewsbury Town, they defeated First Division club Arsenal 2–1 in the fourth round at Highbury.[9] Walsall were subsequently bought by millionaire entrepreneur and racehorse owner Terry Ramsden[12] and with his money came high-profile signings and the attention of the national media.In 1986–87, under new manager Tommy Coakley, Walsall narrowly missed out on the play-offs but made considerable progress in the FA Cup as they defeated First Division Charlton Athletic and Birmingham City and took Watford to two replays in the fifth round.New manager Chris Nicholl led the club to promotion back to the third tier (now known as Division Two after the formation of the Premier League) in his first season, building the nucleus of a strong and under-rated team.A run of four straight wins at the end of April meant Walsall needed just a point from their final game, away to Bury, to secure promotion; they duly obliged with a 0–0 scoreline to send the travelling fans home celebrating.In 1998–99, Ray Graydon took over as manager and led the club to a runners-up spot in Division Two, beating Manchester City to an automatic promotion place by five points.A 2–0 defeat at Ipswich meant Walsall returned to the third tier, despite derby wins over local rivals Wolves, Birmingham and West Bromwich Albion earlier in the campaign.The Saddlers returned to the second tier of English football at the first attempt, defeating Reading 3–2, after extra time, in a thrilling play-off final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.Walsall were ultimately relegated, agonisingly by a single goal, despite a 3–2 victory over Rotherham United on the season's final day in front of a record Bescot Stadium crowd of 11,049.After increasing supporter pressure following a string of bad results, culminating in a 5–0 defeat at Brentford, Merson's reign as Walsall manager came to an end in February 2006.[24] On the final day of the season Walsall drew 1–1 at Swindon Town, thanks to a last-minute goal by Dean Keates in front of 3,419 travelling fans, to secure the League Two title.[25][26] Walsall's form continued into the new season, as the club performed strongly in 2007–08, including a run of 17 League matches without defeat and back-to-back promotions looked possible.However, a January transfer window that culminated in the sales of important first team players Danny Fox and Scott Dann to Coventry City[27] caused a drop in form throughout 2008.The club's promotion challenge ended after a run of poor results in March leading to Richard Money resigning as manager in April.Notably, in the 2010–11 season the club sat in the relegation places from October through to March but ultimately survived thanks to an upturn in form following the appointment of Dean Smith as manager in January 2011.[11] Walsall beat Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers, Sheffield United and Preston North End on their way to the Football League Trophy final where they were beaten 2–0 by Bristol City on Sunday 22 March 2015.[37] Following relegation, a new era began with Darrell Clarke taking over as manager[38] and Jeff Bonser ending his 28-year reign as owner and chairman by selling his 76% majority shareholding of the club to Leigh Pomlett in July 2019.[39] Walsall failed to make a League Two promotion challenge in the 2019–20 or 2020–21 seasons, finishing in 13th and 19th place respectively, halfway through the latter Clarke left for Port Vale.[47] Meetings with the Black Country's other professional club, West Bromwich Albion, are similarly rare, with The Saddlers and The Baggies having clashed just 14 times.Upon Jeff Bonser stepping down from his role at the club, Leigh Pomlett agreed an option to reunite the Saddlers with their stadium freehold "in due time".
Bescot StadiumMat SadlerEFL League Two2023–24Home coloursAway coloursThird coloursCurrent seasonassociation footballWalsallWest MidlandsEnglish football league systemsaddleFellows ParkWolverhampton WanderersWest Bromwich AlbionShrewsbury TownPort ValeFootball AllianceFootball League Second DivisionFootball LeagueBirmingham & District LeagueFootball League Third Division NorthFourth DivisionThird DivisionLeague TwoWembley Stadium2015 Football League Trophy FinalBristol CityBarnsleyLeague OneList of Walsall F.C. seasonsthe ChuckeryAston VillaBurnleyCrewe AlexandraSecond DivisionWest Bromwich Road1894–95Midland League1898–99Birmingham LeagueSouthern LeagueWorld War IThird Division NorthFA CupVilla ParkWorld War II1922–231932–331933–34Gilbert AlsopArsenalFirst Division1934–35Third Division North CupStockport CountyMaine RoadThird Division South CupBournemouth & Boscombe AthleticStamford Bridge1947–48Notts Countyre-election process1951–521952–531953–541954–55Bill Moore1959–601960–61Newcastle United1962–63Charlton AthleticAllan Clarke1964–651965–66FulhamEnglandLeeds United1970–71Geoff MorrisColin TaylorAlan Buckley1978–791979–80groundshareMolineux1983–84 League CupBlackpoolHighburyRotherham UnitedLiverpoolAnfieldBirmingham CitySt Andrew'sTerry Ramsden1986–87Tommy CoakleyWatfordplay-offs in 1988David Kelly1988–89 season1989–90Kenny HibbittChris NichollPremier LeagueJan Sørensen1997–98West Ham UnitedManchester United1998–99Ray GraydonManchester Citysecond tierIpswichReadingMillennium StadiumColin Lee2002–032003–04Paul Merson2005–06BrentfordHuddersfield TownRichard Money