Walsall boss a leader to Kenny Hibbitt

In a crowded dressing room, Kenny Hibbitt addressed a group of Walsall players at their lowest ebb.

It was 1990 and the ex-Wolves midfielder had just taken over as manager at the new Bescot Stadium and was charged with rescuing the Saddlers from almost terminal decline.

They had tumbled from the old Second Division to the Fourth in successive seasons – finishing bottom twice.

With finances a concern, Hibbitt, who succeed Paul Taylor's short two-month reign, needed to convince his new players to cut their bonuses.

It was a pivotal moment in his early tenure and he needed the support of his players to help the club.

A few refused but, amid the debate, up piped an 18-year-old Dean Smith.

The defender, and current Saddlers boss, was still a wet-behind-the-ears first year professional but offered Hibbitt a chink of light.

Although taken aback by Smith's impertinence, it was a crystallising moment for Hibbitt who knew then the teenager was destined to become a manager.

He said: "The team had been relegated two years running but the bonuses were still the same. We were in the Fourth Division but had Second Division bonuses.

"I had to try to change them because if we had a decent start we'd have gone bankrupt!

"I got all the players in and said they needed to sign a new document. A couple refused but a little boy said 'what happens if we don't sign?' and I just said I'd play the youth team.

"That voice was Dean and he was only 18. There were so many experienced players like Kenny Mower and Ron Green and Dean was only a kid, but he wanted to know what was happening. I liked that.

"He was listening and wanted to know all about it. I was a bit surprised at first but then I sat down and realised he was taking it all on board – when some senior players didn't want to.

"I knew there and then there was a flicker about him."

Soon after, Hibbitt, who now works as a referees' assessor, named Smith as captain and the 60-year-old never had any doubts over his qualities.

He said: "I made him captain and he was the youngest skipper Walsall had. There was always some leadership there.

"Even though there were senior players around him he was someone who had that leadership. He has a lovely family and had all the ingredients for him to be captain.

"He was a teenager but the senior players had seen him as an apprentice coming through the ranks and he had a bit of presence about him.

"They responded to him and didn't have any problems."

With Smith as his leader, Hibbitt guided the Saddlers to the Division Three play-offs in 1993 after the re-shuffle of the leagues that followed the creation of the Premiership.

A 9-3 aggregate defeat to Crewe poleaxed the Saddlers – as they had beaten Alex twice a month earlier – and they finished 10th the following season.

Hibbitt left in September 1994 and Smith, who made more than 130 appearances for the Saddlers, was sold to Hereford for £80,000 before spells at Leyton Orient, Sheffield Wednesday and Port Vale.

But Hibbitt insisted the man who sold him – Chris Nicholl – will be invaluable to the boss after Smith brought the former Walsall defender and boss back to the club as an adviser last season.

He said: "Dean's worked with Martin Ling at Orient so he knows what it's about and Chris Nicholl will help him. I was with him in La Manga a few weeks ago and he was telling me all about it.

"Chris won't interfere unless Dean asks him to. He's there to support and back the manager.

"He will be advising him but Dean will make the decisions."

By Nick Mashiter