- Founded: 1888
- Nickname: The Saddlers
- Honours: League 2 (2006/07), Fourth Division (1959/60)
The bird on the Walsall FC crest directly links to the formation of the Club. Two of the leading teams in the area during the 1880’s were the Walsall Swifts and Walsall Town. In 1888 the two decided to join forces as Walsall Town Swifts and changed the name in 1895 to just simply, Walsall.
The nickname ‘The Saddlers’ reflects town’s status as the home of the leather industry. During the First World War, one single saddlery company from Walsall supplied an incredible 100,000 saddles for the British Army, in one year alone.
The Saddlers are Original Members of both the old Third and Fourth Divisions and won their first Fourth Division title in the 1959/60 season managed by Billy Moore. They got promoted again in 1961 to reach the Second Division for the first time in their history.
After back-to-back relegations in 1979/80 to drop back to Div 4, Walsall returned to Division 2, eight years later.
At the end of the century Walsall would find themselves in Division 1 (The Championship) where they spent 4 of the next 5 years, before another double relegation found the Saddlers back in the basement tier.
In 2006/07, Walsall won their second title, pipping Hartlepool to the League Two trophy on the final day of the season, to regain League 1 status. After twelve years in the third tier Walsall were relegated back to League 2 in 2019, and finished 12th before the curtailment.
Tahvon Campbell scored the only goal as Rochdale beat automatic-promotion hopefuls Northampton 1-0 at the Crown Oil Arena.
Rochdale created the best chance of the first half when Matt Done crossed for the incoming Jimmy Keohane and he fired goalwards only for Liam Roberts to pull off a good save.
The Cobblers hit back when Jon Guthrie launched into an impressive run forward, powering through Dale’s midfield from his central defensive position and shooting narrowly wide from 20 yards.
Northampton threatened again when Mitch Pinnock fed Ali Koiki on the left and his firm centre was cut out by Dale keeper Jay Lynch.
But Dale broke the deadlock after 53 minutes, Max Clark turning Alex Newby’s cross into the six-yard area where Campbell pounced to score from close range.
The Cobblers struggled to create any openings, Guthrie’s 30-yard drive after 85 minutes underlining their inability to get in behind the home side’s backline.
Dale might have had a second but Liam Kelly, unmarked at the back post, smashed a shot over the crossbar when he might have expected to at least test Roberts.
Walsall marked Michael Flynn’s first home game as Saddlers manager with an entertaining win over Hartlepool.
George Miller’s brace and a Conor Wilkinson strike lifted Walsall to 17th, eight points clear of the bottom two, as they ended an eight-game unbeaten run for Pools, who replied through Omar Bogle.
Walsall led on 13 minutes when Emmanuel Osadebe ended a superb solo run by slipping in Miller and he took a touch before wrong-footing Pools keeper Ben Killip with a clever near-post finish.
The Saddlers doubled their advantage on 26 minutes when Wilkinson drilled a fine finish into Killip’s bottom far corner from 20 yards.
Hartlepool improved after the break but Luke Molyneux prodded wide from Jamie Sterry’s measured ball over the top.
They halved their deficit on 63 minutes, Bogle slotting in from six yards after Carl Rushworth saved Isaac Fletcher’s deflected shot.
But Miller sealed the points by pouncing on Gary Liddle’s under-hit backpass and rounding Killip four minutes later.
New signing Lee Tomlin almost added a fourth, after making his arrival as a 75th-minute substitute, but his shot was deflected wide.
Northampton climbed to fourth in League Two by inflicting struggling Walsall’s sixth successive defeat with a 1-0 victory at the Banks’s Stadium.
Mitch Pinnock was credited with the Cobblers’ early winner as his free-kick nestled in the bottom corner, although deadline-day signing Louis Appere may have got the final touch.
The decisive goal arrived after just 10 minutes, although Northampton were grateful to three fine saves from ex-Walsall goalkeeper Liam Roberts to preserve the points.
He pushed away George Miller’s 30-yard effort and produced a smart low stop to thwart Jack Earing before the break.
The Cobblers nearly doubled their lead early in the second half as Walsall keeper Carl Rushworth spilled Shaun McWilliams’ routine shot but atoned by saving follow-ups from Appere and Paul Lewis.
Rushworth later saved well from Sam Hoskins’ free-kick to keep the Saddlers in it.
They almost pinched a point with a late rally, but Roberts made a superb diving stop to deny Conor Wilkinson, who later fired inches over from 20 yards as Walsall slipped to 21st – now seven points clear of the relegation trap door.
| Played | Won | Draw | Lost | F | A |
| 20 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
PLAYED FOR BOTH
We look at a selection of players that played for the Cobblers and Walsall.
PAUL HOWARD will take charge of the Cobblers match v Walsall this Tuesday
Declan Ford and Darren Blunden
Fourth Official : Andrew Aylott
| 09.03.2021 | Charlton Athletic | 2:1 | Northampton Town |
| 09.11.2020 | Oxford City | 2:1 | Northampton Town |
| 1 | Northampton have won two of their last three home Football League games against Walsall (L1), as many as in their previous 14 games (D4 L8). |
| 2 | Walsall have won 10 of their last 14 Football League games against Northampton (L4), although could lose both Football League games against the Cobblers for the first time since 1997-98 having lost the reverse fixture in February (0-2). |
| 3 | Northampton have kept clean sheets in each of their last two league games at Sixfields Stadium (W2). They have already recorded three consecutive shutouts at home in the league already this season in October, winning all three, while only Tranmere (10) have more home clean sheets in League Two this season than their nine. |
| 4 | Walsall have one just one of their last seven League Two games on their travels (L6), scoring just two goals during that run. |
