2015–16 Walsall F.C. season

Walsall
2015–16 season
Chairman Jeff Bonser
Manager Dean Smith
(Until 30 November 2015)
John Ward
(From 30 November–Until 18 December 2015)
Sean O'Driscoll
(From 18 December 2015–Until 6 March 2016)
Jon Whitney
(From 6 March 2016)
Stadium Banks's Stadium
JP Trophy First round
(eliminated by Morecambe)
Top goalscorer League: Tom Bradshaw (17)
All: Tom Bradshaw (20)
Home colours
Away colours

The 2015/16 season was an eventful one for Walsall. The club had three different managers on the way to a third-place finish in League One, one point away from promotion. Defeat to Barnsley in the playoff semi-finals meant the campaign ended in disappointment, but still represented the Saddlers' highest league placing in 12 years.

Story of the season

The summer of 2015 saw relatively minor changes to the Saddlers squad. 2014-15 Player of the Year Richard O'Donnell departed and was replaced by Neil Etheridge, while other notable incomings included fullback Jason Demetriou and the return of forward Milan Lalkovic.

Strong start

Things got off to a flying start, with the Saddlers winning six of their first seven games in all competitions. This included League Cup wins over Championship opponents Nottingham Forest and Brighton, setting up a third round meeting with reigning Premier League champions Chelsea. Walsall were beaten 4-1, but received praise from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho for the club’s attractive style of play.[1]

Managerial merry go round

The Saddlers’ good form continued and a 2-1 win over Bradford in late November left the club in fourth, three points of the top with a game in hand. However, just two days later it was announced that manager Dean Smith was leaving to charge at Championship Brentford. A caretaker trio of Jon Whitney, Neil Cutler and John Ward oversaw victory away at rivals Shrewsbury and progress to the FA Cup Third Round, before Sean O'Driscoll was appointed as Smith’s replacement.

The new boss got off to a bright start, with three successive wins and clean sheets. The Saddlers also got the better of old boss Smith with a 1-0 win away at Brentford in the FA Cup Third Round. However, things soon took a turn for the worse with the club going on a run of just two wins in 11 games. After just 16 games in charge, O’Driscoll was dismissed with the club sitting fourth five points off an automatic promotion spot with a game in hand.

Pipped by a point

Whitney was placed in temporary charge until the end of the season and the team responded with three successive victories. With league leaders Wigan Athletic having pulled away, the Saddlers were left to battle with Burton Albion and Gillingham for second spot. While the latter’s challenge faded, Burton matched the Saddlers’ efforts, meaning Walsall went into the final day of the season needing to overturn a three point deficit as well as achieving a goal difference swing of three goals on the Brewers. A 5-0 win away at Port Vale achieved the latter, but Burton’s 0-0 draw with Doncaster saw them promoted ahead of the Saddlers by one point.

A third-place finish meant Walsall would take on in-form Barnsley in the playoffs. The Tykes proved too much for the Saddlers, convincingly winning 3-0 at Oakwell and 3-1 at the Bescot. The Yorkshire side would go on to gain promotion by beating Millwall in the final.

The Saddlers’ young fullback Rico Hery and playmaker Romaine Sawyers were included in the official League one Team of the Season.[2]

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
1 July 2015RBCyprusJason DemetriouAnorthosis FamagustaFree transfer[3]
1 July 2015AMEnglandLevi RowleyAcademyTrainee[4]
1 July 2015CBEnglandKyle RowleyAcademyTrainee[5]
2 July 2015GKPhilippinesNeil EtheridgeCharlton AthleticFree transfer[6]
16 July 2015RWSlovakiaMilan LalkovičBarnsleyFree transfer[7]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
1 July 2015LBEnglandMalvind BenningMansfield Town [lower-alpha 1]Free transfer[9]
1 July 2015AMEnglandAshley GrimesBarrow [lower-alpha 2]Free transfer[9]
1 July 2015CMEnglandJake HeathRushall OlympicFree Transfer[9]
1 July 2015GKEnglandRichard O'DonnellWigan Athletic [lower-alpha 3]Free transfer[12]
1 July 2015RBEnglandBen PurkissPort Vale [lower-alpha 4]Free transfer[9]
17 July 2015CBEnglandJames ChambersRetiredN/A[14]
  1. ↑ Following Benning's release on 5 May 2015, he later signed for Mansfield Town on 22 May 2015.[8]
  2. ↑ Following Grimes' release on 5 May 2015, he later signed for Barrow on 16 July 2015.[10]
  3. ↑ Following O'Donnell's release on 21 May 2015, he later signed for Wigan Athletic on 22 May 2015.[11]
  4. ↑ Following Purkiss' release on 5 May 2015, he later signed for Port Vale on 24 June 2015.[13]

Loans out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Date until Ref.
7 August 2015CBEnglandKyle RowleySutton Coldfield Town4 September 2015[15]

Competitions

Pre-season friendlies

On 7 May 2015, Walsall announced a pre-season friendly against Luton Town. Also Walsall would face West Bromwich Albion, AFC Telford United, Rushall Olympic and Chasetown.[16] On 28 May 2015, Walsall added Aston Villa to their pre-season schedule.[17]

League One

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Wigan Athletic (C, P) 46 24 15 7 82 45 +37 87 Promotion to the Football League Championship
2 Burton Albion (P) 46 25 10 11 57 37 +20 85
3 Walsall 46 24 12 10 71 49 +22 84 Qualification for the League One play-offs[lower-alpha 1]
4 Millwall 46 24 9 13 73 49 +24 81
5 Bradford City 46 23 11 12 55 40 +15 80
Updated to match(es) played on 1 July 2016. Source: BBC Sport
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted.
Notes:
  1. ↑ Four teams play for one spot and promotion to Football League Championship.

Matches

On 17 June 2015, the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.[18]

Play Off

FA Cup

League Cup

On 16 June 2015, the first round draw was made, Walsall were drawn away against Nottingham Forest.[19] In the second round Walsall were drawn at home against Brighton & Hove Albion.[20]

Football League Trophy

On 8 August 2015, live on Soccer AM the draw for the first round of the Football League Trophy was drawn by Toni Duggan and Alex Scott.

Birmingham Senior Cup

On the Birmingham FA website the first round details were announced, Walsall will face Rugby Town.[21]

Squad statistics

Source:[22][23]
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
Players with squad numbers struck through and marked Left club during playing season left the club during the playing season.
Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Walsall.
Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes.
Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
No. Pos. Nat. Name Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
League FA Cup League Cup FL Trophy Play-offs Total Discipline
1GK PHI Neil Etheridge 4005030002050030
2DF CYP Jason Demetriou 42 (1)34130002051 (1)480
3DF ENG Andy Taylor 33 (1)22 (1)000101037 (2)240
4DF ENG James O'Connor 3714031102047230
5 Left club during playing seasonDF ENG Matthew Pennington * 50000000005010
6DF ENG Paul Downing 4635030002056370
7MF ENG Adam Chambers 4505030102056080
8MF ENG Sam Mantom 33 (4)83 (1)130101 (1)042 (5)940
9FW WAL Tom Bradshaw 38 (3)173023102046 (3)2020
10MF SKN Romaine Sawyers 45 (1)6501 (2)10 (1)02053 (4)740
11 Left club during playing seasonMF ENG James Baxendale 0 (3)00 (1)00 (1)00 (1)0000 (6)000
12MF IRL Anthony Forde 26 (15)42 (3)10 (2)00 (1)01 (1)029 (22)520
13GK ENG Craig MacGillivray 500 (2)00010006 (2)000
14DF ENG Rico Henry 30 (5)24031002039 (5)310
15MF SVK Milan Lalkovič 27 (13)73 (1)031101 (1)035 (15)840
16DF ENG Matt Preston 4 (6)2100 (1)010006 (7)210
17MF ENG Reece Flanagan 8 (6)0002 (1)0000010 (7)000
18MF ENG Kieron Morris 12 (21)32 (2)030101019 (23)330
20FW SLE Amadou Bakayoko 000 (1)00000000 (1)000
21FW ENG Jordan Cook 5 (29)32 (2)01 (2)00 (1)00 (2)18 (36)420
22MF IRL Liam Kinsella 4 (3)1100010006 (3)100
23GK ENG Liam Roberts 10000000001000
26MF ENG Isaiah Osbourne 00000000000000
27 Left club during playing seasonMF ENG George Evans * 1234100000016440
27MF ENG Bryn Morris * 0 (1)0000000000 (1)000
28MF ENG Jordan Sangha 00000000000000
29MF AFG Maziar Kouhyar 00000000000000
30GK ENG Dan Jezeph 00000000000000
31FW ENG Jordy Hiwula * 8 (5)30000001 (1)09 (6)310
Players not included in matchday squads
No. Pos. Nat. Name
11MF ENG Josh Wakefield *
19FW ENG Jordan Murphy
24FW ENG Levi Rowley
25 Left club during playing seasonDF ENG Kyle Rowley

References

  1. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34353488. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ↑ https://www.efl.com/news/2016/may/sky-bet-league-1-team-of-the-season---201516/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ "Demetriou Checks In". Walsall FC. 1 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Rowley Pens First Pro Deal". Walsall FC. 20 May 2015.
  5. ↑ "Rowley Ready For the Challenge". Walsall FC. 9 June 2015.
  6. ↑ Beardmore, Michael (2 July 2015). "Ex-Chelsea, Fulham and Charlton keeper signs two-year deal with Walsall". Walsall Advertiser. Archived from the original on 2015-07-02. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "Lalkovic Is Back!". Walsall FC. 16 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "Mansfield Town sign Matt Green and Malvind Benning". BBC Sport. 22 May 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Retained And Released List". Walsall FC. 5 May 2015.
  10. ↑ "Ashley Grimes: Barrow sign former Walsall forward". BBC Sport. 16 July 2015.
  11. ↑ "Wigan to sign Walsall's O'Donnell". BBC Sport. 22 May 2015.
  12. ↑ "Richard O'Donnell Statement". Walsall FC. 21 May 2015.
  13. ↑ "Port Vale: Valiants sign ex-Walsall right back Ben Purkiss". newsrt. 24 June 2015.
  14. ↑ "James Chambers Announces Retirement". Walsall FC. 17 July 2015.
  15. ↑ "Kyle Rowley Heads Out On Loan". Walsall FC. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  16. ↑ "Saddlers Add Hatters Trip". Walsall FC. 7 May 2015.
  17. ↑ "Another Home Friendly Announced". Walsall FC. 28 May 2015.
  18. ↑ "League One Fixtures Released". Walsall FC. 17 June 2015.
  19. ↑ "Capital One Cup 2015/16 Round 1 Draw". Capital One Cup. 16 June 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2015-06-16.
  20. ↑ "Capital One Cup Round 2 draw". Capital One Cup. 14 August 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-08-16. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  21. ↑ "BFA fixtures – 1st round". Birmingham FA. August 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  22. ↑ "Walsall". FootballSquads. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  23. ↑ "Squad stats". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
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