How Mat Sadler's league leaders compare to Walsall's promotion-winning heroes of the past
With Mat Sadler's Walsall sitting pretty at the top of League Two, we look at how they compare to the Saddlers' promotion winning heroes of yesteryear.
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1. 1959-60: 57 points* - Division Four (1st)
Promoted as champions
Record: W18, D2, L3. GF: 60/GA: 24.
Bill Moore became the first manager to spearhead the Saddlers to promotion in 1960.
They had dropped just eight points from the first 46 available (it was two points per win in those days) and had registered a club record-equalling seven match winning streak in the process.
Club legend Tony Richards finished the campaign with 24 goals while Roy Faulkner and Colin Taylor chipped in with 21 apiece, as Walsall netted 102 - equalling their club record tally set 26 years before in 1933-34.
Walsall won 4-2 at Oldham Athletic to seal promotion with seven games to spare before going on to secure the league crown by five points.
2. 2024-25: 52 points - League Two (TBD)
Record: W16, D4, L3. GF: 43/GA: 20.
The modern day Saddlers are also galloping along nicely at the midway point having collected their highest points tally since that title triumph 65 years ago.
Since the start of December, Walsall have streaked clear of the chasing pack with a club record-equalling seven league wins on the spin to create a 10-point lead at the League Two summit.
And another maximum points against Tranmere Rovers at Bescot on Saturday will see them make history with an eighth consecutive league win.
3. 2006-07: 49 points - League Two (1st)
Promoted as champions
Record: W14, D7, L2. GF: 36/GA: 14.
By Christmas, Richard Money's Walsall boasted a four-point lead at the summit and had conceded just 14 times by the midway point of the season.
Barring a run of three consecutive defeats in February, Walsall largely maintained their winning form to secure promotion with three games to spare.
Dean Keates sealed the title with a rocket into the top corner at the death to secure the title in a 1-1 draw at Swindon on the final day.
4=. 1998-99: 46 points - Division Two (2nd)
Promoted via the automatic spots
Record: W14, D4, L5. GF: 35/GA: 26.
Ray Graydon defied the odds in his first season at the helm after toppling big-spending Fulham, Manchester City and Reading to climb into the second-tier.
They secured promotion with a 3-1 win over Oldham at Bescot with two games to spare, as Andy Rammell finished as Walsall's leading scorer with 18 goals.
Meanwhile, Graydon came second to Manchester United's continental treble-winning boss Sir Alex Ferguson in the League Manager Association's Manager of the Season poll.
4=. 1979-80: 46 points* - Division Four (2nd)
Promoted via the automatic spots
Record: W12, D9, L2. GF: 37/GA: 22.
The return of club legend Alan Buckley as player-manager provided the Saddlers with fresh hope after relegation back to the fourth-tier.
Buckley (16) formed a prolific partnership with Don Penn (24) with the pair scoring 40 goals combined. Walsall went unbeaten across the opening 13 games and set a 21-match unbeaten league record between November and March.
They suffered just five league defeats (their fewest in a single campaign) although a pair of losses to end the campaign proved costly as the Saddlers were pipped to the Fourth Division title by Huddersfield Town.
6=. 2000-01: 44 points - Division Two (4th)
Promoted as play-off winners
Record: W13, D5, L5. GF: 41/GA: 25.
Jorge Leitao scored a career-high 18 goals in his debut campaign as Walsall reached the play-offs with a fourth-place finish following relegation the previous season.
The Saddlers twice came from behind against Reading in the final at the Millennium Stadium, before substitute Darren Byfield netted a famous extra-time winner to seal promotion.
=6. 1987-88: 44 points - Division Three (3rd)
Promoted via the play-offs
Record: W12, D8, L3. GF: 36/GA 20.
Tommy Coakley was a surprise replacement for club icon Buckley when he was mercilessly sacked within 90 minutes of Terry Ramsden completing his takeover in 1986.
Walsall finished a respectable eighth in his first season and went one better by reaching the play-offs in 1987-88. David Kelly spearheaded the attack in style with 20 league goals across the regular season and a further 10 in the play-offs and cup competitions.
A triple header against Bristol City in the play-off final subsequently unfolded with Kelly once again bagging a brace in a 3-1 win at Ashton Gate.
The Robins drew level on aggregate with a 2-0 win at Fellows Park but Kelly cemented legendary status among the Walsall faithful with a famous hat-trick as Coakley's side romped to a 4-0 victory just over 48 hours later.
8. 1994-95: 43 points - Division Four (2nd)
Promoted via the automatic spots
Record: W12, D7, L4. GF: 42/GA: 24
Kenny Hibbitt was sacked after just four league games and was replaced by Chris Nicholl three weeks later.
Kyle Lightbourne scored 23 goals in Division Four and struck up a formidable partnership with Kevin Wilson who weighed in with 16.
Walsall won 2-1 at Scarborough to head into the final day nestled in the final automatic promotion spot and got the job done with a goalless draw at Bury.
9. 1960/61: 42 points* - Division Three (2nd)
Promoted via the automatic spots
Record: W13, D3, L7. GF: 47/GA: 33
Moore achieved back-to-back promotions to lead Walsall into the second-tier for the first time in their history. The Saddlers went unbeaten at home in the league and collected 10 wins from 11 games in March and April.
Golden boot winner Richards hit an astonishing 36 goals while winger Taylor scored 33. Walsall finished six points adrift of Division Three champions Bury but secured automatic promotion with a two-point advantage over Queens Park Rangers.
*Seasons when two points were awarded per win are calculated by the modern points format
