Walsall Football Club

Four wins from four league matches in December saw Walsall end the calendar year in pole position at the top of League One. 

Coaches Jon Whitney, John Ward and Neil Cutler started the month in joint-temporary charge and oversaw a 3-1 derby win over Shrewsbury, the day after Dean Smith’s departure. 

Under the caretaker trio, Walsall also overcame Chesterfield in the FA Cup, winning 5-3 on penalties (replay 0-0, first game 1-1), to set up a mouth-watering third-round tie with Smith’s Brentford. 

Ex-Doncaster boss Sean O’Driscoll was unveiled as the club’s new head coach on 18th December and enjoyed a dream start, with Walsall winning 2-0 against Port Vale in his first game. 

We then beat Millwall 1-0 and Peterborough 2-0 to make it five consecutive league wins and end 2015 top of the table! 

The first month of 2016 began and ended with heavy defeats, although we recorded some positive results in between. 

A shock 3-0 home reverse against Rochdale was quickly forgotten after a memorable 1-0 FA Cup third-round victory over Dean Smith’s Brentford, thanks to Sam Mantom’s super solo strike. 

The Saddlers then played out 1-1 draws with Coventry and Blackpool, either side of a 3-2 victory at Bury, to stay in the promotion hunt. 

Walsall’s participation in the FA Cup came to an end after a 4-0 defeat at Reading, in what was our first fourth-round tie in a decade.