Walsall fans planning protest over running of the club
Walsall fans are set to hold a peaceful protest over how the club is being run as the Saddlers’ search for a new boss continues.
The Independent Saddlers Supporters’ Association (ISSA) is calling on fans to join the protest before and after Saturday’s home game against Tranmere Rovers.
They are meeting at the Railway Club from 12.30pm before marching to the Banks’s Stadium at 2pm, and then assembling outside the ground’s main entrance at 2.15pm.
ISSA plans to meet at the same spot after the game regardless of the result.
An excerpt of a statement from ISSA read: “The protest is to display our dissatisfaction with the way our club is being run and how we are being treated as supporters.
“The list of concerns is continually increasing and supporters’ concerns are being brushed aside.
“Our club has been in decline for some years now and if changes aren’t made, it will continue to decline further. The club has gambled with our Football League status two January’s running, whilst seemingly being oblivious to the danger.
“It surely should matter more to a board that has self-confessed lifelong supporters on it. Falling out of the Football League would be a complete disaster. It is questionable if we would ever recover from it.
“We feel now is the time we have to stand together and fight for positive change at the club we love so much.
“This is not a protest against the team. The team needs our support more than ever right now. We urge as many people as possible to go and give their support to the team. We must also state that this must be a peaceful protest.
“We understand that not everyone will want to support the protest and we totally respect that decision. We ask that those who wish to show their concerns be given the same respect.
“We urge as many of you as possible to come and join us.”
Meanwhile, former Walsall player and assistant Dean Holden has become the bookies’ favourite to take over as their next head coach.
Matt Taylor was sacked earlier this week after a run of seven straight defeats.
Holden, who played for the Saddlers between 2012 and 2014 and then served as assistant in 2016, is the current assistant at Stoke City.
He previously managed Championship side Bristol City.
