Former Walsall striker Darren Byfield has today been named the new manager of Evostik Southern Premier League side Stratford Town.
Byfield will be remembered for eternity by the Walsall faithful for scoring our winning goal in our 2001 play-off final against Reading.
You can relive that match below including Byfields goal in extra-time.
Byfield joined the Saddlers in the summer of 2000 from Aston Villa following loan spells at Preston, Northampton, Blackpool and Cambridge.
Byfield played a pivotal role in our promotion back to the First Division and scored thirteen goals in seventy-seven appearances for the Saddlers before he joined Rotherham in 2002 for £50,000.
It wouldn’t be the last time we saw Byfield in Walsall colours though. Byfield rejoined the Saddlers in 2009 after playing for six different clubs in seven years most notably Sunderland, Gillingham and Bristol City.
Byfield would play a major part again as he helped the Saddlers avoid relegation to League 2 under then manager Dean Smith. Injuries limited Byfield to just fifty-five appearances where he scored twelve goals before being released in May 2011.
Byfield then joined Tamworth, Solihull and Redditch.
Byfield then joined Solihull as coach before moving to Tamworth as coach before becoming manager at Redditch.
Everyone at Vital Walsall wishes Darren Byfield the best of luck in his career.
