Saddlers' fans in new protest

Banner-waving protesters showed their anger at Walsall FC's Banks's Stadium during a second week of protests over the club's chairman.

A series of placards were smuggled into the ground for the Saddlers 2-1 win against Tranmere Rovers by fans desperate to voice their anger against the club's chairman Jeff Bonser.

Fans are said to believe that the chairman is not using money from the club to invest in new players. There were references made to him spending time in Cyprus, where he is believed to have a holiday home.

Chants in protest against the club's running could be heard throughout the League One clash and a number of critical banners were unfurled, despite threats by the club that openly dissenting fans could be banned from the ground. A wall of stewards formed a human barrier to the ground's main entrance immediately after the game as a crowd of protesters gathered to make their feelings known.

Some fans reported having been issued bans by staff at the club, but police said no arrests were made during the protest, but there were scenes of unrest between fans and stewards.

It comes after Walsall chief executive Roy Whalley promised to ban the banner-waving protesters. He accused fans of trying to destroy the club, after raising banners against Bonser and manager Chris Hutchings.