George Bennett picks his best Walsall XI of the Mat Sadler era

George Bennett selects his best Walsall XI during the Mat Sadler era so far.

Transcript

00:00This is my all-time Matt Sadler 11, starting in goal with Tommy Simpkin, joined on loan from Stoke City.

00:07Finished the season with 16 clean sheets in the previous campaign and became the first Sadler's shot stopper in 50 years

00:15to keep five successively clean sheets in December last year.

00:19Right centre-back Emmanuel Adebayega had to bide his time after joining on loan for Norwich City in January 2024,

00:26but once he did, scored the winning goal against Mansfield on his debut, scored three goals in his first four games in the Football League

00:35and that earned him the EFL Young Player of the Month award in February 2024.

00:41Walsall did fail to make the playoffs at the end of that campaign, but it was a memorable spell for the young Irishman.

00:48In the heart of the back three is Aidan Flint.

00:51The 36-year-old only arrived back in the summer, but has been instrumental to Walsall sitting at the top of League Two as it stands.

00:59Left centre-back Taylor Allen had a remarkable rise under Matt Sadler when he was converted to a left-sided centre-back

01:07and the culmination of that was 11 goals and 8 assists last season, earned him a place in a PFA League Two Team of the Year

01:15and Walsall's Player of the Year award before he moved on to League One with Wickham back in the summer.

01:22Holder midfield, probably the hardest one to pick really. It was a toss-up between Ryan Sturk and Brandon Comley,

01:27but I've gone with the latter purely because he's the longest-serving member in this squad right now

01:33and was voted Player's Player of the Year after a really strong campaign during Matt Sadler's debut season.

01:41Right wing-back Connor Barrett is a comfortable pick.

01:4510 assists for Walsall last season.

01:47Did tail off towards the end of the campaign in his first full season in the Football League,

01:53was voted in the PFA League Two Team of the Year and has returned and gone from strength to strength

01:58in the current season. Three goals and two assists already.

02:02Issa Cutchinson in right centre midfield.

02:0415 goals, 12 assists and career high in his only season under Matt Sadler.

02:10Ended up winning three awards at the end of the season, finishing as Walsall's top goal scorer,

02:15also winning goal of the season and of course winning Player of the Year

02:18and scored in that season his first career hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Chillingham.

02:25Left centre midfield, it was a tough choice between Charlie Lakin and Jamie Jelis,

02:30but I've gone with Lakin, an unsung hero for Walsall, covers every blade of grass

02:35and is a crucial cog in the system under Sadler.

02:39Left wing-back Liam Gordon has given the nod, played more minutes than any other player

02:44during Sadler's first two seasons. Although I do feel that they've actually upgraded

02:48with Vincent Harper in that role and there's definitely scope for him to be in there

02:52in the near future. Up front, Nathan Lowe needs no introduction.

02:5718 goals, five assists and 30 matches in the first half of the previous campaign.

03:02I think it was five goals in his last six games for the club.

03:06Ended up winning him the League Two Player of the Month for December and unfortunately

03:10his recall coincided with Walsall's dramatic collapse in the second half of last season

03:16and beside him have gone with Freddie Draper. Brilliant for Walsall in Matt Sadler's first season

03:22prior to his January recall by Lincoln City. 10 goals in 25 games, scored a memorable hat-trick

03:29in a 3-3 draw against Newport as Walsall came from behind three times and then Draper

03:34with a dramatic stoppage time equaliser. So hopefully there will be much more to come

03:42from the Matt Sadler era but that is my team so far.