00:00Hi Sadlers fans, obviously the news arrived last week of what we were all dreading but potentially expecting in the wake of Taylor Allen's spectacular individual campaign for Walsall last term, obviously 11 goals, 8 assists, naming the PFA League 2 team of the year, a hat-trick of awards at the end of season ceremony, including Walsall's player of the season.
00:24So a real standout and, you know, just from sort of the manner in which he announced his departure in terms of showing his gratitude towards the Walsall fans, I think he's left with everyone's best wishes and, you know, to make that step up into League 1 with Rick and Wanderers is something that he deserves a chance to do.
00:43It's just unfortunate, you know, that he didn't have the opportunity to do that with Walsall after they lost in the League 2 player final back in May against Wimbledon, which proved to be his final game for the club.
00:53And, you know, football moves very quickly and the next question is, who will replace him?
00:58And I think, you know, Evan Weir learned his stripes from Taylor Allen last season and worked hard in the shadows and in the small glimpses we were able to see from him, really,
01:10showing positive signs that he could potentially be his successor.
01:15You know, I remember his lead debut against MK Don's a 1-0 defeat, something I've spoken to him about on a number of occasions, actually,
01:21and had a really difficult afternoon at left wing-back and was obviously hauled off at half-time.
01:28It was a 1-0 down in that 1-0 defeat at the stadium of MK and, you know, had to bide his time from that point onwards
01:35and had minutes and starts in the cup competitions, you know, started every game in the EFL Trophy and the League Cup,
01:43all three rounds in that, including the goalless draw against Leicester City.
01:47So, you know, he impressed in stages there, but, you know, I feel his best position, albeit he kind of maybe came in as that left wing-back,
01:55is definitely on the left centre-back slot and that's where he kind of played once he had a not-so-significant amount of game time in the second half of the season,
02:03but clearly a lot more than he did in his first few months.
02:06And, you know, the standout performance in that was when he came in on New Year's Day in place of Taylor Allen,
02:12the left centre-back against Knotts County, produced a miraculous goal-line clearance where he caught off an incredible recovery run
02:21to then hook Alassane Yata's effort off the goal line with his heel and then, you know, followed that up by driving a fierce effort across goal for Jumiel Matt to prod home
02:32before setting up Nathan Lowe's winner.
02:35So, it was a great performance for him, but again, game time's still been limited.
02:38He managed to still showcase his creative qualities, setting up Danny Johnson's, the first of Danny Johnson's point rescue in double against Salford in February
02:48and then set up Levi Amanchi's third goal and a 3-1 win over Chesfield.
02:53Had a nice run in the team around sort of March-April point, but, you know, there's still vulnerabilities in his game, you know, from a positional sense.
03:02I remember he lost Ruffles inside the box during a 3-2 win over Huddersfield in the League Cup earlier,
03:08in the season and then was caught on his heels when Michael Cheat played the ball in behind for Harry McCurdy to lob over Sam Hornby in the 2-2 draw at Bromley.
03:16So, you know, still areas to improve, but this could really be his chance now to stake a claim and he'll be hungry to do so.
03:23You look at Walsall's biggest success stories under Matt Sadler and, you know, Harry Williams came in for the injured Oshin McKenty
03:29and made his mark. Taylor Allen had his own breakthrough from the fact that Donovan Daniels picked up an ankle injury
03:36and he kind of reinvented himself then in that left-sided centre-back role.
03:42I mean, even Jackson Smith replaced Owen Evans after an injury and became Walsall's first-choice goalkeeper for the second half of the season.
03:50So, lots of success stories that, you know, Evan Ware can definitely take inspiration from as well.
