Walsall chairman Leigh Pomlett learns from adversity

With Jamie Fullarton now at the helm as technical director and Matt Taylor now installed as the new head coach, Pomlett has already expressed his excitement for what the future holds.

The club has had to overcome a difficult financial period due to the pandemic, alongside a poor 2020/21 campaign and Pomlett believes if the squad can match the work going on behind the scenes, then next season can be a success.

When asked what he has learned from his two years as chairman, he said: "You learn a lot from adversity.

"You learn that the club has sustained itself extremely well. If you look at the results we have a very sustainable business model.

"What we have not achieved is what I wanted on the pitch. Off the pitch we're absolutely fine.

"On the pitch we have not got it right in the way I hoped over the last couple seasons, which is why I've been pretty radical in making the changes with Jamie, Matt and Neil.

"We have the basis of great success but we haven't yet brought it onto the pitch.

"The real test of Covid is not during the pandemic, it's after it. That's when the financials will really hit.

"I need to make sure we are in a position to withstand that going forward. We've done that and now I can shift my attention to making sure we're successful on the pitch.

"The fans have a passing care about what happens on the pitch but what they really care about is what happens on it.

"Have I been preoccupied with making sure the club survives the Covid crisis? Probably. But having done most of that work we can turn our attention to making sure the stadium is full and the football we're watching is pretty damn good.

"I watched the play-off final and huge congratulations to Morecambe, but I was sat there thinking 'why isn't that me' because it should be.

"We've got considerably more resources than they've got yet they've got to League One. It should have been us."