Walsall could lose manager Mat Sadler as two leaderless EFL sides have set sights on the standout 39-year-old.
The Saddlers boss has got the West Midlands club competing at the top of the League Two table this season and claimed a scalp in the FA Cup first round by knocking out Bolton Wanderers. As it stands, they are two points ahead of Port Vale after beating Darren Moore’s side last weekend.
Championship and League One Sides Circling
According to reports from Football Insider, both Championship side Millwall and League One’s Northampton Town have shortlisted the former Shrewsbury Town player to become their next manager. However, other candidates are also in the minds of both clubs, with former Coventry City boss Mark Robins linked with The Lions and The Cobblers are looking at both Bromley boss Andy Woodman and former Charlton Athletic boss Michael Appleton.
Millwall are in the hunt for a new manager after Neil Harris announced his resignation from his job last week, with his time in charge ending following their match against Middlesbrough. Australian Jon Brady opted to leave his post at Town following defeat to Stevenage as they look to fight off relegation from the third tier.
Characterised by his back three, Sadler has brought the Bescot Stadium side from their midtable finishes since taking over in 2023 to now make them a heavy favourite for promotion this season in League Two. He currently has a 46% win rate and an average of 1.6 points per game in his 83 matches in charge.
Writer’s View
This could be a very big blow for Walsall should any move materialise. At least in the case of Millwall, it feels that he is not the favourite with Mark Robins being an obvious choice to take charge. As for Northampton Town, it does not feel like it would be a real step up and perhaps even going into a worse situation than he has at Walsall. Ultimately, Mat Sadler should stick with his current club and guide them to a well-earnt promotion, which will see his stock rise further if he feels his future is away from Bescot Stadium. Perhaps a new contract could be on the cards too if the club deem him to be too important to let go.
Football journalist with The Real EFL since 2023. A 2024 Multimedia Journalism graduate from the University of Salford, Lewis specialises in Salford City FC and EFL coverage.
