Saddlers Legends

In this new series of features, Vital Football looks back at some of the players who have become heroes gracing the turf of Fellows Park and Bescot Satdium. Firstly, possibly Walsall’s best ever keeper, Jimmy Walker.

Walker or ‘Wacca’ as he will forever be known as, began his career with the Saddlers back in 1993 taking over from Mark Gayle between the sticks. A free signing that every Saddlers fan thanks Kenny Hibbitt for making!

Over 11 years at Walsall, Wacca made over 460 appearances and on some occasions seemed to win matches single handedly.

In fact it has only been through the heroics of Clayton Ince in what has been quite season that Wacca’s club record of 19 clean sheets in a season has finally been beaten.

In his first season at Walsall, Wacca made 31 consectutive appearances and helped us to the play-offs only to be beaten by Crewe in the semi final.

Many fans believe Wacca could have gone on to bigger and better things if it wasn’t for one thing- his height. At a reletively small 5ft 11in Wacca’s presence in the air was always questioned but what he lacked in height he more than made up for with his shot-stopping ability.

His final competitive match for the Saddlers was a disappointing one as Walsall were finally relegated from the Championship despite beating Rotherham at the Bescot in May 2004.

A terrible injury suffered in the 2004/05 Championship play-off final for West Ham saw Wacca miss much of this season but rumours continue to circulate over his future.

Along with talk of moves to Sheffield United and in recent weeks Watford, there was also a rumour that he may come back to Walsall. He might have a job shifting Clayton now!

It’s impossible for me to say which was Wacca’s best game for Walsall, so let us know what you think on our forum.