Jon Whitney proud of his Walsall players

Boss Jon Whitney admitted he was hugely proud of his players after watching Walsall thrash Port Vale but narrowly miss out on automatic promotion.

Two Anthony Forde goals together with strikes from Paul Downing, Tom Bradshaw and Sam Mantom saw the Saddlers hammer Rob Page's side 5-0 at Vale Park.

But despite the breath-taking performance, it was Nigel Clough's Burton who clinched League One's runners up spot with a 0-0 draw at Doncaster.

It meant the Saddlers – who finished the campaign third in the table on 84 points – will now take on Barnsley in the play-offs.

Whitney said: "I feel immensely proud of my players, my staff and the fans. They couldn't have done any more.

"I had my two boys in the crowd today and I spotted them dancing and that is a feeling you can't explain – especially being the manager. It was incredible.

"I'm really proud of my players. I told them to control what we can control.

"If we hadn't done our job and Burton had lost – that is where the frustration could have affected the play-offs.

"But we have won our final today and now we have qualified for an even bigger tournament."

Walsall will travel to take on Barnsley on Saturday before the second leg at the Banks's Stadium on May 19.

Whitney continued: "It's good to get the away leg first and then hopefully we will bring it back to the Banks's and make it a memorable game.

"We are creating history this year. The chairman came in and said this is the first time in this division we have finishing on 84 points.

"We are already creating bits of history but we have to go out and create more.

"Today the atmosphere was the best I have ever known at the club. We are going to build on that.

"We are not going to turn the boilers off. We are going to keep it simmering and then we will build it up for next week.

But I am proud of everyone for staying positive and believing. Now you have to keep believing, stay positive and we will push to keep the season alive."

Whitney admitted even he was looking to the heavens in the final stages in the hope that Doncaster would find a goal to beat Burton and send the Saddlers up.

He said: "We were waiting for that huge cheer. but it never really came. I'm not religious but even I was looking to the sky.

"I was looking at past uncles, anyone that knows me from the past. But it wasn't meant to be.

"But it was a great performance and there were so many young children in the crowd today. They are going to remember this day – watching Walsall.

"It was incredible and that is credit to the boys."