New Walsall chief Leigh Pomlett happy to talk

The international businessman completed a surprise takeover of the Saddlers last week and immediately outlined his vision for a new era at the Banks’s Stadium. Key to that is improving relations between the club’s hierarchy and Walsall’s supporters.

Under former owner Jeff Bonser, that relationship became incredibly strained – with Bonser and other board members often the target of fans’ frustrations.

Pomlett though is hoping things will be a lot more respectful in the future.

“I want communication from the club to be better,” the chairman said. “I want us to be enthusiastic about each other.

“I’d like to see a little bit more respect between each other if that’s not a little bit too old fashioned.

“We have some very talented people on the board who work incredibly hard for this football club.

“The relationship between the board and the supporters needs addressing and I’ll be doing it. That’s important.”

Pomlett, who has supported Walsall since he was five, says he would not have bought the club if it had not been so well run. He believes Bonser deserves credit for that. But he said increased communication will be one of the ways he is different to the former owner.

“I am going to be a different sort of chairman,” Pomlett continued.

“That is no comment on Jeff; Jeff ran it how he wanted to run it. I’ll run it how I want to run it. It will be different.

“And I’m sure whoever takes over from me will run it differently.

“Communication with fans will be more visible. Communication with the media will be more visible.

“I am happy to meet with fans and be at fan focus meetings. I will always be at those meetings. That part of the role as chairman I believe is important and I rather enjoy it so I am not going to shy away. I want to improve the relationship between the club and the supporters and I will.”