Walsall squad breakup was always 'inevitable' in 2016 - James O'Connor
Former Walsall defender James O'Connor says a mass exodus was always "inevitable" after they missed out on promotion in 2016.
Burton Albion had pipped Walsall to automatic promotion in League One on the final day of the 2015-16 season, before Jon Whitney's charges bowed out in the play-off semi-finals.
Walsall were beaten 6-1 over two legs by Barnsley, and the core of the squad vacated Bescot that summer to mark the end of a cycle.
No fewer than 12 players left the club, including key men such as Paul Downing, Romaine Sawyers, Tom Bradshaw and Rico Henry.
For O'Connor, it was expected.
'The downside of not going up'
"You have a successful season in the fact that you finish high in the league and get a lot of plaudits, but then ultimately don't go up. You're inevitably going to lose players," O'Connor reflected.
