Walsall squad of the century: The strikers

A number of top stars have graced the Banks’s Stadium pitch, but who would make the ultimate Saddlers squad from those who have played for the club over the past two decades?

With the country in lockdown – and fans looking for their football fix – we asked Walsall supporters to put together a dream team of players who have played from the club from January 1, 2000, onwards.

In keeping with a World Cup format, there were just two rules. Firstly, they had to name three goalkeepers, and secondly the squad had to have balance and cover in case of injury or suspension. In total, 44 Fans took the time to put together their squads – with dozens of players making the list for each position. Throughout this week, the Express & Star will reveal the results, finishing with the forwards.

Forwards: Jorge Leitao, Tom Bradshaw, Troy Deeney, Matty Fryatt

The voting among the defenders and midfielders may have been tight, but much like the goalkeepers, the four chosen forwards were relatively unanimous.

Despite that, 15 names got the nod overall with three of them being chosen by one fan each.

The man with the most votes was iconic Saddlers striker Jorge Leitao, who received 43. The Portuguese was joint top on votes with goalkeeper Jimmy Walker as the only two players to have all but one fan choose them.

Leitao joined the club in 2000 and netted 21 goals in all competitions, 18 in the league, as the club were promoted through the play-offs to the old Division One.

Although he didn't replicate the same numbers from his first season – scoring 10, 13, nine, 11 and seven in his remaining seasons at Walsall – Leitao is remembered fondly for his five-and-a-half years at the club.

In the end, he netted 71 goals in 262 Saddlers appearances.

Closely behind him is Tom Bradshaw, who spent two years at the club from 2014 to 2016.

The Welsh international scored 40 goals in 87 games for Walsall in all competitions, making his mark in his two short years.

He was an integral part of the Saddlers side that lost in the 2015/16 play-offs to Barnsley, after missing out on automatic promotion to the Championship by one point.

Getting 37 votes, Bradshaw joins Leitao as the two forwards with the most votes among fans – getting 14 more than the next striker.

That striker is Troy Deeney, who had 23 votes.

The 31-year-old made one appearance for Walsall in the 2006/07 season, after spending time on-loan at Halesowen Town.

He then moved into the Walsall first team in 2007/08 and initially struggled with one goal in 40 games. Those numbers improved with 12 and 14 the two seasons after that before he moved on to Watford in 2010 where he still plays.

Also on 23 votes, and making up the forwards, is Matty Fryatt.

Coming through the Walsall academy, he only scored two goals in 22 appearances in his first season in 2003/04, scoring one on-loan at Carlisle and one when back at Walsall.

Fryatt used that as a platform for the following campaign, scoring 15 in 39 games before scoring 14 by January in the 2005/06 season, when Leicester came in for him and he moved on.

Several other forwards picked up a handful of votes, but didn't get enough to make it into the squad.

Despite only playing for the club for one season in 2002/03, Jose Junior picked up 17 votes.

The Brazilian formed a potent strike partnership with Leitao in Division One, netting 16 goals in his 42 Walsall games.

Meanwhile, Will Gigg (10), Andy Rammell (6) and Febian Brandy (4) were also noted by fans.

Both Michael Ricketts and Darren Byfield earned three votes each, while Don Goodman and Martin Butler had two a piece.

Wrapping up the votes for the forwards, three players were named only once. Among them was Craig Westcarr and Brett Angell, as well as current Saddlers winger Wes McDonald – despite having only joined the club last summer.