Walsall F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Walsall Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Saddlers | |||
| Founded | 1888 (as Walsall Town Swifts) |
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| Ground | Bescot Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 11,300 | |||
| Owner | Trivela Group | |||
| Chairman | Benjamin Boycott & Leigh Pomlett (co-chairmen) |
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| Head Coach | Mat Sadler | |||
| League | EFL League Two | |||
| 2018–19 | League One, 22nd of 24 (relegated) | |||
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Walsall Football Club is a professional football team from Walsall, England. They play in EFL League Two, which is the fourth level of English football.
The team's nickname is "The Saddlers." This name comes from Walsall's history of making saddles. Since 1990, Walsall has played at the Pallet Track Bescot Stadium. Before that, they played at Fellows Park for nearly 100 years. The team wears red and white kits. Their club badge features a swift bird. Walsall has rivalries with nearby teams like Wolves and West Bromwich Albion. They also have regular rivalries with Shrewsbury Town and Port Vale.
The club started in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts. This happened when two local teams, Walsall Town and Walsall Swifts, joined together. They joined the Football Alliance in 1889. In 1892, they helped create the Football League Second Division. After a short time back in the Football League from 1896 to 1900, they spent 20 years playing in other leagues.
In 1921, Walsall helped form the Football League Third Division North. They stayed in the third tier for 37 years. In 1958, they became a founding member of the Football League Fourth Division. They won this division in the 1959–60 season. The next season, they earned promotion from the Football League Third Division. In 1988, they were promoted to the Second Division for the first time. However, they were soon relegated back to the Fourth Division.
From 1998 to 2003, Walsall spent four out of five seasons in the second tier. After two relegations in three years, they were back in the fourth tier in 2006. But they quickly won promotion again, becoming League Two champions in 2006–07.
Walsall played their first match at Wembley Stadium in the 2015 Football League Trophy Final in 2015. They lost this game to Bristol City. In 2016, they almost got promoted to the Championship. They missed out by just one point and lost in the play-off semi-final. In 2019, Walsall was relegated from League One after 11 years. They played at Wembley again in 2025, losing 1-0 to AFC Wimbledon in the League Two Playoff Final.
Contents
The Story of Walsall FC
How Walsall FC Started (1888–1939)
Walsall Football Club began as Walsall Town Swifts F.C. in 1888. This happened when Walsall Town F.C. (started 1874) and Walsall Swifts F.C. (started 1875) joined forces. Both teams had played at a ground called the Chuckery. The new club continued to play there. Walsall Town Swifts' first game was a 0–0 draw against Aston Villa in a cup final on April 9, 1888.
Later that year, Walsall Town Swifts played friendly matches against big teams. They beat Burnley 1–0 and drew 2–2 with West Bromwich Albion. Their first league season in the Midland Association started with a 2–2 draw at home to Crewe Alexandra on September 22, 1888. They finished 3rd in that league.
The club joined the Football League in 1892. They were one of the first teams in the new Football League Second Division. In 1893, they moved to the West Bromwich Road ground. After finishing 14th in 1894–95, they were not re-elected to the Football League. In 1895, the club moved again, this time to Fellows Park. This stadium was their home for over 100 years.
In 1896, the club changed its name to just Walsall F.C. They joined the Midland League. A year later, they returned to the Second Division. In the 1898–99 season, the team finished 6th. This is still their highest ever league finish. Despite this, the club was not re-elected two years later and went back to the Midland League. They moved to the Birmingham League in 1903. In 1910, they joined the Southern League. After World War I, the Football League grew. Walsall became a founding member of the Football League Third Division North in 1921. They have been a Football League team ever since.
Walsall's biggest "home" crowd was in 1930. They played in front of 74,646 fans in an FA Cup match against Aston Villa. Even though it was Walsall's home game, it was played at Villa Park. This allowed more people to watch the big local match. It was a record crowd for Villa Park at the time.
From 1921 until World War II, Walsall's success was limited. They finished 3rd in 1922–23, 5th in 1932–33, and 4th in 1933–34. These good results were thanks to Gilbert Alsop. He was one of Walsall's greatest players. He scored 169 goals between 1931 and 1935.
Alsop also helped Walsall achieve their best ever FA Cup result. He scored the first goal in a 2–0 home win against Arsenal in 1933. Arsenal was considered the best team in the country then. They won the Football League First Division that season and the next two. Because of this, Walsall's win is still seen as one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history.
In the 1934–35 season, Walsall reached their first senior cup final. This was the Football League Third Division North Cup. The Saddlers lost 2–0 to Stockport County in the final.
Post-War Era and First League Title (1945–1980)
The 1945–46 season was the last for local wartime competitions. From January to May 1946, the Football League Third Division South Cup was played. This was before full league football returned. Walsall reached the final against Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic. They lost 2–0, just like their final in 1935.
When football returned after the war, many clubs saw more fans. Walsall was no different. In the 1947–48 season, Fellows Park had impressive crowds. A season-best 20,383 fans watched the game against Notts County. The club recorded its highest average league attendance of 15,711 that season. Walsall finished 3rd but missed out on promotion.
The early 1950s were tough for Walsall. The club faced the re-election process for four years in a row. They finished last in the league in 1951–52, 1952–53, and 1953–54. They were second to last in 1954–55. However, the club kept its Football League status. This was mainly because of the large crowds at Fellows Park.
In 1958, the Football League was reorganized. Walsall became a founding member of the Football League Fourth Division. This means they were founding members of the Second, Third, and Fourth tiers. Under manager Bill Moore, the club won two promotions in a row. They scored 102 goals and won the Fourth Division title in 1959–60. They finished as Third Division runners-up in 1960–61. The league title in 1960 was the club's first in 72 years.
In their first season back in the second tier since the early 1900s, they finished 14th. This was a post-war record. During this season, the club also set its record attendance. A crowd of 25,453 packed into Fellows Park to see The Saddlers beat Newcastle United 1–0 in August 1961. However, after only two seasons in the Second Division, the club was relegated back to the Third Division in 1962–63. A loss to Charlton Athletic in a replayed match sealed Walsall's relegation.
One of Walsall's best players, Allan Clarke, started playing regularly in the 1964–65 season. At just 18, he scored 23 league goals in 1964–65. He scored another 23 goals in all games in 1965–66. He was sold to Fulham for a club record fee of £37,500 in March 1966. He went on to play 19 times for England and win a league title with Leeds United.
The 1970–71 season saw the first league game between Walsall and their first opponents, Aston Villa. The two clubs met in the Third Division. Walsall won the home game 3–0.
Ken Wheldon, a local businessman, took over the club in 1972. This brought hope for a better future. The next few years were mixed. But there were some good cup results and the rise of Alan Buckley. He joined the club in 1973 and became a great goalscorer. Walsall stayed in the Third Division until they were relegated to the Fourth Division in 1978–79.
Buckley became player-manager to help the team rebuild. The Saddlers quickly bounced back, earning immediate promotion. In 1979–80, Walsall went 21 matches without defeat. This is a club record that still stands today. This period saw Walsall play exciting football. Under Buckley, the team became strong contenders for promotion in the Third Division.
League Cup Run and New Stadium (1980–1995)
While Walsall was doing well in the Third Division in the early 1980s, problems off the pitch grew. Fellows Park, the club's home, was getting old. In 1982, owner Ken Wheldon announced plans to share Molineux with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Walsall fans quickly protested, forming the Save Walsall Action Group. The plan never happened.
The 1983–84 League Cup was a highlight for Walsall. They beat Blackpool, Barnsley, and local rivals Shrewsbury Town. Then, they defeated First Division club Arsenal 2–1 at Highbury. A 4–2 win over Rotherham United in the quarter-final sent The Saddlers to the semi-final. They faced Liverpool, who were the cup holders and league champions. An amazing 2–2 draw at Anfield in the first game made Walsall dream of a cup final. However, they lost the second game 2–0 at Fellows Park, losing 4–2 overall.
By 1986, new plans were announced to share a stadium with another rival. This time it was Birmingham City's St Andrew's ground. The Save Walsall Action Group protested again. With support from the local press, the Football League stopped the move. Millionaire Terry Ramsden then bought Walsall. His money brought famous players and national media attention. In 1986–87, under new manager Tommy Coakley, Walsall almost made the play-offs. They also had a good FA Cup run, beating First Division teams Charlton Athletic and Birmingham City.
Walsall finally won promotion to the Second Division in 1988. They won the Third Division play-offs. They beat Bristol City 4–0 in a replayed final at Fellows Park. However, in the 1988–89 season, the club was immediately relegated from the Second Division. Ramsden's businesses then failed. Walsall was very close to going out of business. But thanks to fans and local businessmen, they survived. A second relegation followed in 1989–90, sending Walsall back to the Fourth Division.
The club moved to the Bescot Stadium in 1990. At the time, it was a modern stadium. It was only the second new Football League ground built since the 1950s. Moving to Bescot Stadium brought stability after two relegations. Jeff Bonser took over the club in 1991. Kenny Hibbitt managed the club for four years. He laid the foundation for a successful period that came after he left in September 1994.
New manager Chris Nicholl led the club to promotion back to the third tier in his first season. This league was now called Division Two after the Premier League was formed. Walsall won four straight games in April. They needed just one point from their final game against Bury to get promoted. They drew 0–0, and their fans celebrated.
Ups and Downs (1995–2022)
Two stable seasons followed in Division Two before Nicholl resigned. Jan Sørensen took over and led the club to the fourth round of both the League Cup and FA Cup in 1997–98. Both runs ended with losses to Premier League teams. Despite good cup runs, a poor league finish ended Sørensen's time at Walsall after just one season.
In 1998–99, Ray Graydon became manager. He led the club to second place in Division Two. They beat Manchester City to get automatic promotion. After this unexpected promotion to the second tier, Walsall found it hard. They fought until the last day of the season, but relegation was confirmed. A 2–0 loss to Ipswich meant Walsall returned to the third tier. However, they quickly returned to the second tier. They beat Reading 3–2 after extra time in an exciting play-off final in Cardiff.
Graydon was dismissed in January 2002 after a 2–0 loss to West Brom. Colin Lee took over and kept the team in the second tier. This was the first time they had stayed up since the early 1960s. The 2002–03 season also saw Walsall avoid relegation. However, the 2003–04 season ended in relegation. They had a great start, almost reaching the play-offs by New Year. But a drop in form led to Lee being sacked in April. Star player Paul Merson was appointed manager, but it didn't stop the slide. Walsall was relegated by just one goal, despite a 3–2 win over Rotherham United on the final day. A record crowd of 11,049 watched this game at Bescot Stadium.
Despite the relegation and no past managerial experience, Merson became full-time manager in May 2004. A poor season in League One almost led to another relegation. The 2005–06 season was disastrous for Walsall and Merson. After many bad results, including a 5–0 loss to Brentford, Merson's time as manager ended in February 2006. But it was too late. Walsall was relegated on April 22, 2006, after losing 3–1 to Huddersfield Town.
Richard Money was given the job of improving the club in League Two. They had a great start to the season and stayed in the top three for most of it. Despite a small dip in February, Walsall was promoted back to League One after beating Notts County 2–1 away. On the final day, Walsall drew 1–1 at Swindon Town. A last-minute goal by Dean Keates secured the League Two title.
Walsall's good form continued into the new season. They played strongly in 2007–08, including a run of 17 league matches without defeat. Back-to-back promotions seemed possible. However, in January 2008, important players Danny Fox and Scott Dann were sold. This caused a drop in form. The promotion challenge ended after a series of poor results in March. Richard Money resigned as manager in April.
The next seven seasons in League One were mostly stable, with mid-table finishes. There were a few times they were close to relegation. In the 2010–11 season, the club was in the relegation zone from October to March. But they survived thanks to improved form after Dean Smith became manager in January 2011. Walsall had been ten points from safety. Even though they only got 48 points, they avoided relegation by one point.
The 2014–15 season was special for the club. They reached a Wembley final for the first time in their 127-year history. Walsall beat Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers, Sheffield United, and Preston North End to reach the Football League Trophy final. They lost 2–0 to Bristol City on March 22, 2015. Over 29,000 Walsall fans supported them at the national stadium.
Walsall started the 2015–16 season well. This led to interest in manager Dean Smith. In November, with The Saddlers fourth in the table, he left Walsall for Brentford. At that time, he was the fourth longest-serving manager in the Football League. Walsall chose Sean O'Driscoll to replace Smith. However, after six games without a win and only 16 games in charge, O'Driscoll was sacked. John Whitney replaced him. Walsall missed out on promotion by just one point and lost in the play-off semi-finals to Barnsley.
After losing many of their promotion-challenging players, Walsall struggled for the next three seasons in League One. After a bad period under former player Dean Keates, they were relegated back to the fourth tier at the end of the 2018–19 season. After relegation, a new era began. Darrell Clarke became manager. Jeff Bonser ended his 28-year time as owner and chairman. He sold his shares to Leigh Pomlett in July 2019. Walsall did not challenge for promotion in League Two in the 2019–20 or 2020–21 seasons. They finished 13th and 19th. Clarke then left for Port Vale. Before the 2021–22 season, Matthew Taylor was appointed head coach. However, after seven losses in a row, Taylor was sacked in February 2022. Michael Flynn replaced him and saved the club from relegation. They finished 16th.
New American Ownership (2022–Present)
On June 6, 2022, the club announced that an American sports investment company, Trivela Group LLC, bought most of the shares from chairman Leigh Pomlett. They became the majority owners with 51%. A good run of form in late 2022 brought the club close to the play-off spots for the first time since relegation. However, the loan spell of top goalscorer Danny Johnson ended in January. This led to a mixed second half of the season. Flynn was eventually sacked, and the club finished 16th again.
Interim head coach Mat Sadler was appointed full-time head coach in May 2023. Trivela said they were confident that "Mat is the right man... to partner with us in building this future." Sadler led the team to a record of eight league wins in a row. They set this record with a 5–1 victory over Tranmere Rovers at the Bescot Stadium on January 11, 2025. They extended it to nine wins the following week. Despite leading the league by 12 points in January, a poor second half of the season meant Walsall missed automatic promotion on the final day. They then lost the play-off final 1–0 to AFC Wimbledon.
Club Rivals
A 2013 survey showed that Walsall fans see their Black Country neighbours, Wolverhampton Wanderers, as their main rivals. However, games between these teams are rare. Wolves have spent most of their history in the top two divisions of English football. Only 16 official matches have been played between Walsall and Wolves. The most recent was in 2014. Games with the other Black Country club, West Bromwich Albion, are also rare. The Saddlers and The Baggies have played just 14 times. A match between any two of these three clubs is called a Black Country derby.
More regular rivalries exist with Shrewsbury Town and Port Vale. These are often The Saddlers' closest league games. Walsall has a better record against both Shrewsbury and Port Vale, having won more games than they have lost.
Home Grounds
The Chuckery
This was a multi-purpose sports ground near the Walsall Arboretum. It had 12 football pitches and four cricket areas. It was Walsall F.C.'s first home ground from 1875 until 1893.
West Bromwich Road
The new ground at West Bromwich Road could hold just over 4,500 people. It was a lucky place for The Saddlers between 1893 and 1896.
Fellows Park
Fellows Park was a football stadium in Walsall, England. It was Walsall F.C.'s home from 1896 until 1990. The team then moved to the Bescot Stadium.
Bescot Stadium
Bescot Stadium is Walsall Football Club's current home. It is also known as the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium for sponsorship reasons. It was built in 1989–90 and cost £4.5 million. It replaced Fellows Park, which was nearby. Sir Stanley Matthews opened the stadium. The club now owns the stadium, the Saddlers Club, and the land next to it. On January 27, 2024, the Supporters Club reopened as a sports bar called The Locker.
Team Players
Current Squad
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Reserves and Youth Teams
Management and Staff
First Team Staff
Academy Staff
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Medical Staff
Directors
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Information correct as of August 30, 2024.
Club Achievements
League Titles
- Third Division / Second Division (level 3)
- Runners-up: 1960–61, 1998–99
- Play-off winners: 1988, 2001
- Fourth Division / Third Division / League Two (level 4)
- Champions: 1959–60, 2006–07
- Runners-up: 1979–80, 1994–95
Cup Competitions
- Football League Trophy
- Runners-up: 2014–15
- Third Division North Cup
- Runners-up: 1934–35
- Third Division South Cup
- Runners-up: 1945–46
- Birmingham Senior Cup
- Winners: 1880–81, 1896–97, 1897–98, 1993–94
- Staffordshire Senior Cup
- Winners: 1881–82, 1884–85, 1922–23, 1926–27, 1928–29, 1967–68
- Walsall Senior Cup
- Winners: 1888–89, 2014–15, 2016–17
Club Records
Competitions
- Highest ever Football League position: 6th, Second Division 1898–99
- Highest post-war Football League position: 14th, Second Division 1961–62
- FA Cup: 5th Round, 1938–39, 1974–75, 1977–78, 1986–87, 2001–02, 2002–03
- League Cup: Semi-final, 1983–84
Scores
- Biggest League Win: 10–0 vs. Darwen. Second Division, March 4, 1899
- Biggest League Defeat: 0–12 vs. Small Heath. Second Division, December 17, 1892
- Biggest Cup Win: 12–0 vs. Warmley. FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round, September 27, 1890
- Biggest Cup Defeat: 0–7 vs. Worcester City. FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round, October 11, 1913
Streaks
- Most League Games Won in a Row (9): 2024–25
- Most League Games Lost in a Row (15): 1988–89
- Most League Games without Defeat (21): 1979–80
- Most League Games without Victory (18): 1988–89
Attendances
- Highest League Attendance (at Fellows Park): 25,453 v. Newcastle United. Second Division, August 29, 1961
- Highest League Attendance (at Bescot Stadium): 11,049 v. Rotherham United. First Division, May 9, 2004
- Highest Third Division Attendance: 19,589 v. Notts County, March 18, 1950
- Highest Fourth Division Attendance: 15,403 v. Carlisle United, September 10, 1959
- Highest FA Cup Attendance: 24,045 v. Fulham, 4th Round Replay, January 30, 1962
- Highest League Cup Attendance: 21,066 v. Liverpool. 4th Round, February 17, 1968
- Highest Football League Trophy Attendance: 10,038 v. Preston North End. Area Final Second Leg, January 27, 2015
- Highest Average Attendance (at Fellows Park): 15,711, 1947–48
- Highest Average Attendance (at Bescot Stadium): 7,853, 2003–04
Players
- Most Appearances: 534 – Jimmy Walker (1993–04, 2010–13)
- Most League Appearances: 473 – Colin Harrison (1964–82)
- Top Goalscorer: 202 – Alan Buckley (1973–85)
- Top League Goalscorer: 185 – Tony Richards (1954–63)
- Most League Goals in a Season: 39 – Gilbert Alsop (1933–34 and 1934–35)
- Most Capped Player: 16
Liam Gordon (2023–) - Highest Transfer Fee Paid: £270,000 (€300,000) – for Andreas Makris from Anorthosis Famagusta, August 2016
- Highest Transfer Fee Received: £1,500,000 – for Rico Henry from Brentford, August 2016
See also
In Spanish: Walsall Football Club para niños
