'Early signs' of Walsall-Drogheda collaboration already visible says co-chairman Ben Boycott

Walsall’s owners Trivela completed the full takeover of the League of Ireland outfit in November last year after club members voted to accept the American sports investment fund’s offer.

The co-chairman said: “In the Trivela portfolio, Drogheda stands on its own. It has to work on its own as a club and we’re focused on what the sporting outcomes look like in Drogheda.

“But having those two clubs under the same umbrella just based on where League Two stands in relation to the League of Ireland, it does sort of create a natural player pathway.”

Boycott went on to cite former Walsall loanees Emmanuel Adegboyega and Freddie Draper (who also had stints at Drogheda) as shining examples of how the intrinsic relationship between both clubs could work.

“It’s interesting because we’ve only technically owned Drogheda for three months but we have already been able to see how that synergy can work,” he continued.

“Freddie Draper did very well at Drogheda once he got a run of games and found his rhythm. He came to Walsall straight after that and just kicked on.

“The situation with Emmanuel Adegboyega wasn’t too dissimilar. He made his first real breakthrough in men’s football at Drogheda. If we’ve had them at Drogheda before then we know what kind of character they are, how they will be in the dressing room and if they fit the culture or not.

“That matters to me and that matters to Mat Sadler. So that’s a big part of it.”

Evan Weir will also join up with Walsall’s squad in pre-season, after spending the past five months back on loan at Drogheda since penning an 18-month deal with the Saddlers during the winter.

Boycott explained that the left-back was out of contract at Drogheda at the end of the previous campaign, and that the connection with Walsall enabled them to find the best possible solution for all parties involved.

“Evan Weir is the greatest example of some of that synergy. He did really well at Drogheda last season but was out of contract,” the American revealed. “Frankly, it was going to be difficult for Drogheda to retain him with the other interest he had from different clubs in the League of Ireland.

“But Evan has a desire to play in England so with us having that Walsall connection, we were able to give him what he wanted out of his career, while giving Walsall access to a very good player.

“It benefits Drogheda as well because they were able to keep Evan for a period of time that they wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.”