The top six favourites to become new Walsall boss has been revealed by BetVictor after the club sacks manager Matt Taylor.
The Saddlers were defeated 1-0 at bottom of the table Scunthorpe United on Tuesday, a run of seven successive defeats in League Two.
The 40-year-old was appointed in May last year, though they currently sit 21st in the table, four points above the relegation places.
🎥 #Saddlers Head Coach Matt Taylor gave us his thoughts following the defeat against @SUFCOfficial pic.twitter.com/O6JrGddqbB
— Walsall FC Official (@WFCOfficial) February 8, 2022
The former Portsmouth and Bolton midfielder won just nine of his 36 games in charge at the club.
Walsall have been in the fourth tier since they went down in 2019 under Dean Keates and caretaker Martin O’Connor.
In a statement, the Saddlers thanked Taylor “for his efforts” and said that Neil McDonald and Mat Sadler would be taking temporary charge for first-team affairs.
Walsall have not picked up a win since beating Colchester 3-0 in early December, and not got a single point since drawing 3-3 with Newport County on New Year’s Day.
Chairman Leigh Pomlett told the club website: “The fact is we have lost seven game on the bounce and that is not acceptable me, the club or the supporters.
“I ask that you give us continued support over this very difficult phase. We are not where I wanted us to be at all and after we beat Colchester I thought we were heading in the right direction.
“This has come as a real shock and disappointment to me that we have lost seven games on the bounce and we should not have done.
“I think the frustration of the fans is fully understood, I sense and share it with you entirely. We’ve got a lot of emails coming in which we understand.
“All I ask, very politely, is if you wouldn’t mind desisting from doing that for the time being while we deal with the issues – that would be helpful. I know how you feel, because I feel the same way.”
After Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at Scunthorpe, Taylor told BBC Radio WM that the side were at “a real low point”.
Since winning 1-0 at Port Vale in November, a victory which left Walsall 11th in the table at the time, and only five points off a playoff place, Taylor won just one of his last 13 games in charge.
He replaced Brian Dutton as head coach, leaving his role as coach of Tottenham U18s to take his first senior managerial role.
So who are the top six favourites to become new Walsall manager?
Neil McDonald – 6/1
Russell Penn – 8/1
Paul Cook – 8/1
Ian Holloway – 10/1
Michael Flynn – 10/1
John McGreal – 12/1
Other names listed include Dean Keates, John Askey, Sam Ricketts, Marc Bircham and Warren Joyce.
Twitter users have reacted with the top six favourites to become new Walsall boss revealed after the club sacks their manager…
@RSeymourWATP: Not sure how I feel about this. Obviously 7 games of losses is unacceptable but the club is rotten so can’t see anyone doing a good job under the circumstances
@LufcPaul: Taylor has been made the scapegoat for Fullerton’s ineptitude, yes Taylor was out of his depth but who wouldn’t be with the hand he was dealt. Fullerton must go or nothing will change no matter who comes in
@kingsmithy7: Absolutely ridiculous. Mans had no backing, from anyone higher up. I hope Fullerton is happy
@elixt_1: Really not his fault at all, Fullashit should be gone before him
@wfcjm: Jokers. Should have been Fullarton and the board before Matt, the problems are much higher up than him. Really feel for the bloke.
@Paultuck7: Feel sorry for matt. I think he has been the scapegoat for poor decisions made above him. Good luck for the future matt.
@Chamboman: Feel for Matt, seems a good bloke but this is the correct decision… Unfortunately the bloke overseeing everything will now see the appointment of the next manager & next group of playing staff
@TomJebb8: Absolutely gutted for him. A nice guy. Deserved better but didn’t work out for him. I think this lies deeper than the manager! I await JF sacking aswell. He deserves to go as much as Taylor. He at fault for why the academy failing. Signed an injury player. And why we’re failing!
@JonnyOwen12: NOW FULLARTON, GAMBLE AND MOLE
@JamesK_1999: Fullerton needs to be next. Means nothing while he’s still at the club
@solidaritybrews: & the cycle continues. Losing 7 on the bounce is damning but sacking MT the perfect scapegoat to cover up the fundamental failures at the top of the club. It isn’t MT’s fault Walsall have been asleep at the wheel for years.
@Kenealey92: Another scapegoat papering the cracks of 15+ years of terrible management from a collection of people who despite demonstrable failure in every measurable aspect of this club remain safe, unaccountable and at large. We’ve run out of runway. I’ll be stunned if we don’t go down.
@StarrOutlook: Fullerton should have gone. Feel very sorry for Matt.
@poole_james: For what its worth, thanks for your efforts Matty. Dealt a shite hand, good luck in the future. I fear we havnt bottomed out yet.
@mozza180: Thanks for your efforts! Wish Matt all the best in the future. Gutted it didn’t work out, but somethings got to give!
@ScottWfc1888: Fullarton needs to go he’s the one picking our next manager when he’s the person that picked our last signing which was an injured striker that probably won’t play for a few months
@KarenThacker11: I really feel for Matt Taylor. I can’t believe the man who signed a crocked striker will have a say in the next manager’s appointment.
@wfcbanksy: What about Fullarton? He should of been the 1st out the door. He fucked Matt Taylor over with the recruitment. He signed him a striker that can’t fucking play!! Feel for Taylor I really do.
@DaveIcke: Hang your head in shame Fullerton and co …shocking, young manager been hung out to dry – he was still learning!!!! Awful decisions made by DOF ! See you Saturday
@Chriswfcsteele: Feel sorry for the bloke! Recruitment has been shocking and has been left with a load of shite to work with! That being said the fact that we’re still making the same mistakes week in week out is on him!
@_madihighfield: I’m not sure if this I’m going to help much… Matt was a genuinely nice bloke, you couldn’t not like him personally. Now the clown Fullerton is on the hunt for a new manager just get him gone aswell
@saddler1982: Utter disgrace. You have thrown him under the bus because you have messed up with DOF and signing injured players. Taylor will no doubt be an excellent coach somewhere else
— Claret and Blue (@Ironarmyhd) February 9, 2022
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