It's good to be back for Byfield

Walsall blogger Mark Jones has been watching Darren Byfield for years - he just wishes a few more could have been spent in a Saddlers shirt.

Aside from the obvious topics of profit, debt, ground rent and just how long will the annual meeting last this year - I've got 20 minutes in the sweepstake and I am hoping that includes a coffee break - Darren Byfield has received quite a bit of media attention this week.

His exquisite finish for Saturday's second, clinching goal against Stockport showed the quality he possesses, and was a continuation of the fine contribution made to our forward line since his return to the club.

Manager Chris Hutchings has paid tribute to Byfield's attitude and professionalism on and off the pitch, especially given that it must be a pretty tough time for the guy right now. He has also stated that the club would be fools not to take up the option of extending Dazza's contract come January. Mick Kearns on the coaching staff has weighed in with similar thoughts too.

I would imagine most fans would echo those sentiments, but we should all be quietly confident. I mean, it's not as if the club has ever done anything foolish is it? Especially with regards to contracts in January, or where Darren himself is concerned.

Arguably the best performances of his second spell at the club have come in recent weeks. Ironically this has coincided with an increased amount of stick that opposition fans have been dishing out to the man, regarding his well-publicised break up with his celebrity missus. Get on Twitter to see what I mean about well-publicised.

Now one thing that I've never been quite able to grasp is why some fans go to great lengths to serve up unnecessary abuse to certain opposition players. Don't get me wrong some players fully merit it, naming no names of course - Steve X, Graham X, Izale X.

If it's a local derby or a grudge match or there's been some previous with the individual concerned then that's fair enough. But why wind up someone who has the ability to cause your team serious damage?

Just as when England fans used to jeer other countries' national anthems, you'd see their players in the line up getting progressively more fired up and you'd think 'one of these guys is going to do us damage today.'

In the last few weeks, opposition fans have been really smart in giving Darren the chance to respond to these personal attacks by letting his football do the talking. And fair play to him for doing just that.

Byfield's form since his return has also been an ample demonstration of what we've missed, since somebody decided he was surplus to requirements back in March 2002.

Whilst never quite the finished article back then, I always thought that Darren had shown there was enough in his game for him to be a real asset to a club like Walsall. He scored regularly despite never having a long run in the team and, as Charlton defenders will testify, he could always bring out the best in Jorge Leitao.

For our then-manager Colin Lee to sell Byfield to one of our relegation rivals for such a pitiful amount with no replacement lined up was a disgrace. Could we have actually brought a decent replacement even for the initial £150,000 fee agreed with Ronnie Moore at Rotherham, let alone the two-thirds reduction that the club eventually settled for? I think not.

Thankfully at the time it didn't cost us in the short term, but as we laboured along through the next few years was there ever a time when a player like Byfield wouldn't have been worth a place on the bench at the very least? Darren himself has spent the majority of his time away plying his trade in the second tier so he must have been doing something right.

I can vividly remember Dazza's first return to Bescot as a Rotherham player, despite being on the receiving end of a fair - or should I say unfair - portion of abuse from some fans, he notched twice in a 4-3 win, in what was one of many truly disgraceful performances under Lee.

Just to emphasise what we were missing, we employed the dubious talents of a certain David Zdrilic up front that night.

It was hardly the best way to treat a man who scored one of the greatest ever goals in the club's history. But all that was a long time ago and Darren's back to right a few wrongs. Along with Steve Jones he's the best finisher at the club, his pace can still bother defenders and his movement is always intelligent enough to make things happen.

Whilst I'd have loved to have seen Jamelia in tow, sporting the replica away kit naturally, it's good to have Darren Byfield back as a Saddler.

We had just better make sure he's still here come February.