Ambitious Byfield targeting Walsall revival

Walsall interim head coach Darren Byfield says he would "love to manage" a club at some stage but "is not in charge" of any decision over who will replace Mat Sadler as permanent boss.

Sadler was sacked on Wednesday following Tuesday's 1-0 defeat by Salford City as the club's play-off challenge continued to stutter.

First-team coach Byfield was then asked to take charge for Saturday's League Two game at play-off rivals Crewe Alexandra.

Byfield, 49, said he had not been told anything more than that.

"Mat Sadler had a massive effect on everyone in terms of the man he is. He's missed by a lot of the people here and we know he'd done a good job," Byfield told BBC Radio WM.

"But we just couldn't get them over the line."

Byfield's only full-time managerial experience has come in non-league football with stints at Redditch United, Stratford Town, Walsall Wood and Alvechurch.

He also had a short interim spell as boss of Crawley Town in League Two before leaving to join the coaching staff at Walsall in July 2023.

"I'd love to manage. It's always my aspiration to do that," Byfield said.

"For me, I never looked too far ahead. I'm not in charge of that.

"I enjoyed being first-team coach at Walsall. I'd enjoy it if I was assistant manager at Walsall and I'd enjoy being the manager of Walsall as an interim."

Byfield's connection to the Saddlers stretches back over 25 years, when he first joined from Aston Villa in the summer of 2000.

He memorably capped his first season with the winning goal in the League Two play-off final in Cardiff as Walsall beat Reading in an extra-time thriller 3-2.

After leaving for Rotherham, Byfield returned to the club for a second spell in August 2009, scoring 12 goals in 56 games.

"This is Walsall, a club that the fans know, staff know, anyone associated with the club know means an awful lot to me - this is my football club," he said.

"So I would do the job that I'm asked to do until told not to do, or to do it for longer - it's simple as."

Byfield's task is to get Walsall's play-off challenge back on track over the remaining 10 games of the season.

A win against the Alex could take them level on points with seventh place and Byfield said he is "really excited" about the chance to do that.

"It's up to us to make sure we get three points and that momentum back," he said.

"We have got some really good players and what we have to do is make it a good team.

"We have to stop the rot and we've got to be positive and it's my job to now give that to the boys and let them go out there and have no fear, full press all over the place and have a good go at Crewe.

"The goal is we want to get out the league. We want to be promoted. I want them to go and express themselves.

"Our fans, if they see you're giving your all, will love you. And that's what we have to do. We have to get that connection with our fans, we've got to get that back."