Chris Marsh: I'd build Jeff Bonser a statue

When he bought the club back in 1991, it was minutes away from entering receivership.

A buyer had to be found quickly and it was Jeff who stepped up. He put his house on the line, that is not something I would do, and because of that Walsall Football Club was saved.

It was him and Barry Blower – God rest his soul – that kept professional football in the town.

And it doesn’t bear thinking about where we would be without him. Regular readers of this column will know I have been critical of the way Jeff has run the club in the past.

But that criticism only arrived because football has changed so much during his time at the helm.

I was part of two teams that won promotion to the Championship under his ownership.

That’s Walsall, in the Championship. It really is an incredible achievement. Jeff was key to that, he was the man at the top.

And he was the man who appointed managers like Ray Graydon and Chris Nicholl to oversee it all.

Could we have spent a bit more money when we were there? Probably.

But Jeff has always run the club his way, it’s been a tight ship but a ship that has always been secure.In recent times, the vast majority of fans and I have wanted to see him invest more in the team.

He has faced a lot of criticism and that’s because football has changed so much. Transfer fees and wages have been blown out of all proportion.

And it’s felt as though all Walsall’s recent managers have been operating with one hand tied behind their back because of the financial constraints from the top.

Jeff, in my opinion, has stayed just too long.

But his passion and love for the club can never be questioned. I used to be good friends with Jeff – all the players used to be.

He’d take us up in his helicopter from time to time. And when I was injured, he would actually run around the training ground with me.

He loves Walsall Football Club.

And it’s when you put supporters into the top positions at a club that you get the best results.

When you are in football, the truth is you can never win.

With managers, players and fans to contend with, you’re never going to make everyone happy.

Now Jeff deserves to spend his time relaxing on a beach somewhere and spending more time with his family.

I hope all Saddlers fans will join me in wishing him the best of luck in the future.