Walsall have appointed former captain Martin O’Connor as manager for the remainder of the season.
The fifty-one-year-old has taken the reins after the sacking of Dean Keates in the wake of the Saddlers disappointing home defeat to ten-man Oxford United on Saturday.
The West Midlands outfit are twenty-second in League One, a point from safety with five games left. The Oxford defeat was their fifth in succession and they travel to fellow strugglers Accrington at the weekend desperate for three points.
O’Connor made over one hundred and fifty appearances for Walsall over two spells and was their assistant manager under Chris Hutchings between 2009 and 2011. He rejoined the coaching staff earlier this campaign, but his only managerial experience is with non-league Halesowen Town.
John Ward, Andy Davies and Michael Oakes will assist Walsall born O’Connor.
The club statement said. ‘With fixtures against three of our relegation rivals in the coming weeks, we urge our supporters to get behind Martin and the team at this crucial time.’
Saddlers supporters were far from happy with the news. Many questioned the wisdom of sacking Keates and accused the chairman Jeff Bonser of making an appointment on the cheap.
Here is a selection of their responses.
https://twitter.com/__Vimes__/status/1115215073042206721
https://twitter.com/whinyates88/status/1115193116452114437
https://twitter.com/GMillis/status/1115217471638790144
https://twitter.com/__Vimes__/status/1115215574374789120
https://twitter.com/R0bNorton/status/1115195857102569472
https://twitter.com/colinsp/status/1115375510668894210
https://twitter.com/MatthewJSOliver/status/1115536914566787072
https://twitter.com/walsall17/status/1115203730385920000
