Too sad to bear: Donervon Daniels captain tag has been retrieved by the head coach because……….

A season of advancement both on and off the field for Walsall

Hopes for a play-off push were dashed as Walsall ended the season five points short of the top seven, despite showing promise throughout.

Here, we review the highs and lows of Mat Sadler’s first season as manager.

Successes

A quick look at the final standings reveals progress under Sadler. Although they ended up in 11th place after a somewhat lackluster finish, Walsall improved by five places compared to the previous two seasons and achieved their highest points total in eight years.

Walsall were particularly strong at Bescot, defeating promoted teams Stockport County, Wrexham, and Mansfield Town. They earned 65 percent of their 65 points at home, finishing the season with their best home record (42 points) since winning the League Two title under Richard Money in 2006/07.