Luke Leahy eager to show his Walsall pedigree
Having spent the last five years out of his comfort zone, Luke Leahy is determined to now prove himself in more familiar surroundings.
The Coventry-born left-back is back among family and friends after choosing to end a five-year stay in Scotland with Falkirk and returning to the West Midlands with Walsall.
There are no prizes for guessing which member of the Saddlers squad has already set a new record for ticket requests.
“It’s been a bit of a nightmare and I think Adam Chambers, who is in charge of player tickets, is getting a bit annoyed at me constantly tapping his shoulder asking for more,” smiles Leahy.
“In Scotland, my fiancée Lauren was with me and came to every game. The rest of my family would watch the highlights on Falkirk’s website, so it wasn’t like I could lie if I had a bad game!
“But the difference compared to now, when they are just 40 minutes down the road and can come to games in person, is huge.”
Leahy was just 18 and playing for non-league Rugby Town when he was offered the chance to join Falkirk after impressing while training at the Gordon Strachan Football Academy. It was an easy decision for a player who had always dreamed of making it in the professional game and one he now looks back on with considerable pride.
“Looking back at it now, moving up there when I was just 18, it was massive,” he says.
“At the time I did not feel as though it was a big thing because I was just going to play football.
“Looking back at it now, it was a big move to make. I’m quite proud of doing it, moving away from family and out of your comfort zone. I learned quite a lot up there both off the pitch and on the pitch.”
It comes as little surprise to find Leahy slightly more worldly-wise wiser than your average 24-year-old. And though clearly confident in his abilities, he is also acutely aware of the manner in which Scottish football is viewed by many south of the border.
That only makes him more determined to quickly prove his worth for the Saddlers.
“I see on social media that Scottish football gets slated from time to time,” he said. “Granted, some of the teams in the lower divisions are part-time and aren’t the best.
“But in the top league you have Celtic and Rangers who are obviously huge clubs and then the likes Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen, who could probably compete with teams in the lower Championship.
“If people watched a few games, they might be surprised at how good the standard is. It’s a quick pace and they are in your face straight away. Knowing that I was English, they were in at me straight away so I learned how to handle myself.
“At the same time I know I have not come from another English team. I haven’t come from a team which is higher. I probably have some doubters as I have come from the Scottish Championship.
“But in myself I know I am ready to compete in League One.”
Leahy and the rest of the Saddlers team will get the chance to show what they can do against Championship opposition tonight when they visit Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup.
Boss Jon Whitney will again unable to field the whole of his new-look backline, with Blades loanee James Wilson not available to feature against his parent club.
Teenager Kory Roberts is likely to partner Jon Guthrie in the heart of defence, while Nicky Devlin is available at right-back after missing Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Bury through suspension.
