Walsall co-chairman Ben Boycott welcomes new Walsall addition
Walsall co-chairman Ben Boycott says Richard O’Kelly will serve as a great “mentor and advisor” to both himself and Mat Sadler.
Club legend O’Kelly returned to Bescot as an associate director in April, with Walsall’s young management team hoping to lean on both his experience and wisdom.
The 67-year-old enjoyed two spells at the Bescot as a player before becoming Dean Smith’s assistant manager back in 2012.
He has since gone on to have stints with Smith at Brentford and Villa – before most recently coming back to the club to help head coach Mat Sadler at the end of last season.
Boycott explained that O’Kelly’s role will not be full-time but feels he will be a crucial addition to the club.
He said: “We have a board of associate directors and we meet with them once a month.
“That’s a role in which they can be involved with the club in a way which works for them and their skill sets.
“They can advise key leaders in the club as they’re able to. The members of the associate board are retired so it’s not a full-time role.
“It’s just something for the stage of life they are at. They’re will to spend time meeting with us, and advising and guiding.
“When you look at myself, Mat Sadler and Ben Sadler, we’re a relatively young group of leaders who’re taking the club forward.
“We’re all confident in our abilities but eager to submit ourselves to the wisdom of those who’ve gone before us and Richard is a great example of that.
“He has been a mentor to Mat Sadler for sometime and I’ve been spending more time with Richard and he has been advising me too.
“I think his appointment to the associate board is really just a formalisation and acceleration of what was already happening.
“I view him as an advisor and mentor to Mat Sadler going forward and also to myself and Ben Sadler (soon-to-be CEO).”
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