A timeline of the highs and lows of Mat Sadler's reign as Walsall head coach
Mat Sadler's rollercoaster reign has come to an end after Walsall parted ways with their head coach on Wednesday.
Walsall had collected just two wins from his last 14 games in charge to plummet from the league summit into 11th.
His tenure ended with a spell of three successive defeats, as the 1-0 loss at Salford City on Tuesday night proved to be his final game in the dugout.
Here is a timeline of his time in the Saddlers hotseat...
Morecambe 2-1 Walsall - 5 August 2023
Sadler took charge of his first official game as Walsall head coach on a rainy summer afternoon in Morecambe.
Danny Johnson cancelled out Adam Mayor's 25th-minute opener just before half-time, but Farrend Rawson condemned Walsall to a last-gasp defeat on the Lancashire Coast.
Sutton 4-0 Walsall - 7 October 2023
Walsall suffered their most humiliating defeats under Sadler when they were consigned to a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Sutton United.
Sutton had lost nine games in a 10-match winless run heading into the game but found themselves four to the good inside 37 minutes.
Barrow 2-0 Walsall - 28 November 2023
The pressure was seriously beginning to intensify on Sadler after a 2-0 defeat at Barrow left Walsall languishing in 19th-place.
They had also failed to score in each of their last three games and co-chairman Ben Boycott even jetted over to address the situation.
Notts County 1-2 Walsall - 9 December 2023
Boycott watched from the stands as Walsall headed into the break trailing at Meadow Lane, but a second half double from Oisin McEntee completed a memorable turnaround.
That served as a catalyst to a revival under Sadler, as Walsall collected five wins from their next six league games - including a 6-1 demolition of Grimsby Town on New Year's Day.
2 March 2024 - Walsall 3-1 Doncaster Rovers
Walsall had reeled off five successive wins over Mansfield Town, Morecambe, Harrogate Town, Accrington Stanley and Doncaster respectively to propel themselves into the play-off places.
Goals from Josh Gordon, Jack Earing and former Doncaster loanee Mo Faal sealed a 3-1 win to help them climb into sixth.
20 April 2024 - Walsall 2-3 Bradford
A poor end to the season had ultimately put paid to their chances of sneaking into the play-offs.
11 points from the last 33 available proved costly and a 3-2 defeat against Bradford City in the penultimate game all but decided their fate.
Ryan Stirk and Faal fired Walsall into a 2-0 lead inside 16 minutes, but former Saddlers striker Andy Cook halved the deficit before Jamie Walker's double completed the turnaround.
The Saddlers' misery was compounded by a 5-1 defeat at AFC Wimbledon which saw them drop to 11th.
Walsall 3-2 Huddersfield - 27 August 2024
Nathan Lowe scored twice and missed a penalty as Walsall came from two goals down to knock out League One side Huddersfield in the League Cup.
That led them into the third round for the first time since 2015 where they held Premier League outfit Leicester City to a goalless draw before bowing out on penalties.
