Football Season Guide

League 2

England

League 2

2021/2022

Walsall

In

Carl Rushworth (Goalkeeper, Brighton & Hove Albion, Season-long loan); Ash Taylor (Defender, Aberdeen); Emmanuel Monthe (Defender, Tranmere Rovers); Joe Foulkes (Defender, Youth); Rollin Menayese (Defender, Mansfield Town, Season-long loan); Stephen Ward (Defender, Ipswich Town); Zak Mills (Defender, Port Vale); Brendan Kiernan (Midfielder, Harrogate Town); Danny Coogan (Midfielder, Youth); Jack Earing (Midfielder, FC Halifax Town); Joss Labadie (Midfielder, Newport County); Conor Wilkinson (Attacker, Leyton Orient); Kieran Phillips (Attacker, Huddersfield Town, Season-long loan)

Out

Liam Roberts (r) (Goalkeeper, Northampton Town); Callum Cockerill-Mollett (Defender, released); Cameron Norman (r) (Defender, Newport County); Dan Scarr (r) (Defender, Plymouth Argyle); James Clarke (r) (Defender, Newport County); Joe Foulkes (Defender, Kidderminster Harriers, Loan); Max Melbourne (sp) (Defender, Lincoln City, Loan ended); Jack Nolan (Midfielder, released); Stuart Sinclair (sp) (Midfielder, released); Tyreik Wright (sp) (Midfielder, Aston Villa, Loan ended); Wes McDonald (sp) (Midfielder, Morecambe); Caolan Lavery (sp) (Attacker, Walsall); Derick Osei-Yaw (Attacker, Oxford United, Loan ended); Josh Gordon (r) (Attacker, Barrow)

Matthew Taylor brings a renewed sense of optimism to Walsall after taking on his first managerial role. Taylor will be remembered for spectacular goals whilst playing for Portsmouth in the Premier League and his appointment is just what the Saddlers needed. They have endured a miserable 2021 so far, following the surprise departure of manager Darrell Clarke for Port Vale in February and a dreadful run of form under successor Brian Dutton. Owner and Chairman Leigh Pomlett has opted for a change, bringing in Jamie Fullarton as Director of Football and Taylor as head coach. Several players were allowed to leave the Bescot Stadium this summer as they set about turning around the clubs fortunes. A brand new first XI could take the field in the opening day trip to Tranmere Rovers. The capture of Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Carl Rushworth on a season-long loan is something of a coup whilst Ash Taylor and Manny Monthe could be partnered in the centre of defence. Joss Labadie will bring the midfield steel following his move from Newport County whilst the Saddlers beat several clubs to sign FC Halifax Town midfielder Jack Earing. Striker Conor Wilkinson will hope to provide the goals after joining from Leyton Orient. Midfielder Manny Osadebe was one of few players to come out of last season with any credit and he will be looking to kick on, as will midfielder Rory Holden, who missed the second half of the campaign with a nasty knee injury.

Target

Top-half. The Saddlers will be a bit of unknown quantity with rookie Taylor in charge and his first aim will be to bring some stability.