Key 'turning point' which revived Jamille Matt's Walsall career

The experienced frontman had plundered 19 goals for League Two title-winning Forest Green Rovers during the previous campaign, but saw injury and form hamper his hopes in the third-tier. 

Those injury issues would initially follow him to Bescot, as he failed to deliver the goods in the wake of Danny Johnson's costly January recall.

"When I signed, I had all of the emotions of really wanting to sign for the club and I was probably struggling with injury initially," he reflected.

"That meant I was not necessarily able to show the best of me but I think I've been able to show that in spells since." 

Matt scored twice during his first six months, including the first goal of Mat Sadler's caretaker spell in a 3-2 home defeat against Salford City in April 2023. 

He was used sparingly once Sadler took the reins on a full-time basis and failed to find the net in his first 17 appearances, albeit with the majority coming from the bench.

But everything changed midway through December that year when Matt scored in back-to-back 1-0 wins over Alfreton Town and Tranmere Rovers respectively.

It would prove to be his lift-off moment at WS1.

"It was a massive turning point," he reveals. "Up until that time, it's something I hadn't experienced, especially over the last five or six years in terms of not starting or playing as many games.

"As a player, I was really frustrated. I've spoken about it before but I had some honest conversations with the gaffer. 

"That respect has always been there because of the way he treated me and the conversations we had. 

"He said: 'If you keep working hard in training then you'll get your opportunity'. That's what I did and true to his word I got my opportunity. 

"I felt I took it during that period and maybe that was my turning point." 

Matt finished his first full campaign with six goals in all competitions, a tally he would double during the 2024-25 season. 

His form dipped once top scorer Nathan Lowe was recalled by Stoke City in January. His final 18 games heralded just one goal, but Matt still has plenty of fight left in him after penning a new one-year deal with the club.

"I've seen so many things over the years. I've had to fight for the opportunities to make it into the professional game," he concluded. 

"Many things have happened to me on and off the pitch that I've had to fight through. That's the beauty of being experienced because you learn to embrace it, because at times, you can feel like; why me? 

"But you can flip that mindset to what is he teaching me or what am I learning from this? 

"That's something I've heard people mention many times before but I've learned to ride through it and work out how to get through tough times."