Mat Sadler's message of support for ex-Walsall midfielder Craig Shakespeare
Mat Sadler has sent his best wishes to Craig Shakespeare after the former Walsall midfielder was diagnosed with cancer.
Shakespeare spent eight years at Walsall and scored 59 goals in 335 matches after joining the club as an apprentice.
Sadler said: "I want to send all my best wishes to Craig and his family. Craig is an inspiration, and a wonderful person first, and coach second.
"I am sure he is a fighter and he'll do everything he possibly can to fight through this."
The 59-year-old has been working as assistant manager at Leicester City, and the club confirmed in a statement on social media that the coach has been diagnosed with cancer and is receiving treatment.
The statement read: "Craig is very grateful for the kind well-wishes he has been receiving and for the privacy that he and his family have been shown during this challenging time."
Shakespeare spent three years at Albion - racking up 16 goals in 128 appearances, and also served as caretaker manager at the Hawthorns in 2006.
He has had three separate spells as Leicester assistant, and managed the Foxes in 2017. Shakespeare worked under ex-Saddlers manager and former teammate Dean Smith at both Villa and Leicester.
