Things you may want to know about Walsall;

  • Walsall are known as ‘The Saddlers’ which reflects this Black Country town’s reputation as a traditional centre for saddle manufacture.
  • Walsall were formed in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts – a swift still features in their club crest and the club’s mascot is called ‘Swifty’ (see below).
  • Their local rivals are Wolves and West Brom. However, the Saddlers have had few meetings with either of these sides over the years – Shrewsbury and Port Vale (both about 30 miles away) have been more frequent derbies.
  • Walsall have spent a number of seasons in football’s second tier but have never reached the top flight. Walsall gained one of their promotions to the second tier in 1999 and they did so by pipping Manchester City to the division’s runner-up spot!
  • Jeff Bonser bought the club in 1992 (when it was minutes away from entering into receivership) and ended his almost 28-year spell as owner and Chairman when he sold his 76% shareholding in the club in July 2019 to Leigh Pomlett .
  • There have been just two league meetings between FGR and Walsall – a 1-1 draw at the Bescot Stadium (The Banks’s Stadium) back in August 2019, then Walsall beat Rovers 2-1 at The New Lawn in February this year.
  • Caolan Lavery (who plays number 9) and Josh Gordon (who plays number 10) are 2 of the club’s the club’s leading goalscorers, but the partnership between attackers and childhood friends Wes McDonald and Elijah Adebayo is likely to keep Rovers busy.
  • Walsall tried to sign striker Josh March from Leamington last year. As we know, Josh chose to come to FGR instead.
Swifty at Walsall FC.