Roy Whalley's mission far from over

Outgoing Walsall chief executive Roy Whalley isn't ready to quit the club he calls his life - in fact his mission is far from finished.

As the 63-year-old steps down from his role today his desire hasn't diminished.

Whalley has served as secretary and commercial director during his 24 years with the club and has combined all three jobs for longer than he cares to remember.

But those are merely titles. He is tour guide, compere and bingo caller at the Banks's Stadium. He has been the public face of the Saddlers, taking the flak and rarely getting the plaudits, as the club plots a course through football's financial minefield.

Affter nearly a quarter of a century he is taking a step back. While he remains as commercial director, the day-to-day running of the club will be entrusted to new CEO Stefan Gamble.

But while today marks the end of one era and the beginning of another, Whalley's passion still burns as fiercely as when he joined the club as an ambitious 39-year-old.

He said: "It's not a job, this has been a mission for me. It's been a way of life. People have always asked me, why have I not gone to work for other clubs? I couldn't imagine working against Walsall.

"I've spent a quarter of a century working long hours, fighting hard and doing everything in my power to keep league football alive in Walsall and I believe the club is healthier than it's ever been.

"I came in because I love the club. When I was a youngster I wanted to play for them but when that didn't work out the next best thing was to work for the club."

Whalley joined the Saddlers in 1986, after being part of the 'Save Walsall' action group which stopped the club relocating to Birmingham.

He quit his job as a teacher at Manor High School to move to Fellows Park as club secretary, after being asked by former chairman Barrie Blower.

Blower drafted in London-based businessman Terry Ramsden to buy the club and the events are imprinted on Whalley's mind.

He said: "When moves were made to take the club out of the town to Wolves in 1982 and Birmingham in 1986, it was something I couldn't just stand aside and watch happen.

"I remember the day I joined the club - 13 August 1986. The night before I shook hands with Bob Cox, who was Terry Ramsden's managing director, on the stand at the town hall and the following morning I went into school, as it was the time the A-levels results were out.

"I wrote a letter of resignation, helped the A-level students then tidied my desk and drove down to Fellows Park."

The move to the Banks's Stadium four years later heralded new opportunities, the commercial aspect which Whalley has pioneered becoming the club's lifeblood.

He said: "We started to change the nature of the club. In those days we were losing about £10,000 a week and financially the club was on its knees.

"If Jeff Bonser hadn't stepped up in 1991 I don't know what would have happened, because there wasn't exactly a queue of people out there."

But recently Whalley has come under fire from the disaffected Walsall public.

His 'man of the people' image of 24 years ago has changed into one derided by fans for being out of touch.

It's something he accepts comes with the territory. His infamous rant at protesting fans in April caused outrage among supporters.

Whether misguided or not, the criticism which followed hurt - although Whalley accepts he will never please everyone.

He said: "For those who lived through it, it was a real battle to keep football in Walsall and if we hadn't done it there wouldn't be a football team now.

"But we have a new generation of supporters and that generation grew up when we were in the Championship.

"They would think 'this is Walsall's place' but what they didn't do was look back over the previous 115 years to see virtually all the time was spent in the lower divisions struggling.

"There's nothing you can do about it. I understand that and what's been thrown at me in recent months is that I've been trying to stop people voicing their criticism, which I can't do.

"They say 'you used to be a member of the Save Walsall action group'. What's the expression, poacher turned gamekeeper?

"Sometimes you get criticism and it's not always pleasant but most people out there recognise, in difficult circumstances, we have made progress.

"I'm standing back a little bit now, but I've still got a very big job. I haven't made it any secret I intend to retire.

"I'm moving into my mid-60s and I've spent 24 years in a very high pressure job carrying out three roles.

"Nothing is forever but I've always been a Walsall supporter, that will remain until I die."

By Nick Mashiter