New Walsall chairman Leigh Pomlett has confirmed that additional funds will be available at Walsall, but he did concede that the club won’t go crazy and spend money that they don’t have.
Pomlett took over from Jeff Bonser on Monday ending his twenty-nine year association with the club.
Bonser has often been criticised for the approach he took with regards to transfers. Around 50% of incoming transfer fee’s were given to the manager for squad building and 50% was kept for a rainy day to improve the infrastructure of the club however Pomlett said that needs to change if Walsall are to become a Championship club once more.
Pomlett said the club will be able to get out of League 2 “as we are” but if the club are to become a sustainable Championship side then the club will need further investment which he will start dealing with when we return to League 1.
Speaking at his first press conference to the Express and Star, Pomlett said
“There will be more funds towards the playing budget. I already have added more funds and I will channel as much as I can towards it”
“You will see a difference in the management of the club at all levels, I think this is extremely important and it doesn’t matter how much you throw at a Football Club, if you don’t manage it properly you will end up like other clubs which is truly shocking”
“From a vision perspective I want us in the Championship but I am an ambitious pragmatist,”
“Let’s start with where we should be, which is League One. I am disappointed I am chairman of a League Two side. I didn’t want to be.”
“But we didn’t do well last year. I addressed the players yesterday morning and said, ‘lads we have assembled a squad to get us back into League One, go out there and get on with it’.
“We have got to think creatively about the way the club is financed,”
Pomlett who has worldwide links including the USA and China will hopefully be asking those for any financial input they can when the time comes.
With him owning 76% in the club he does have 24% to play with should the other shareholders decide to sell their stake in the club.
“And I will be talking to people about what happens to Walsall Football Club when we are back in League One.”
“Then we can move and start thinking about the Championship.”
“I am ambitious about the club but I am not stupidly ambitious about it.”
This is a very exciting time for the club.
