The Summer of 1997 was an interesting time to be a Saddler. Legendary Manager Chris Nicholl had departed and we hoped to get a big name to replace him. We got who was to be fondly known as Big Fat Jan. Our first foreign manager which was exciting but he had been out of the game a while and had been running a bowling alley if I remember correctly prior to his arrival.

His first friendly was away at Bromsgrove on a glorious sunny day. Early signings hadn’t looked good and when Kyle Lightbourne our star striker who had departed in the Summer appeared in the crowd to watch, Steve Stuart asked if he’d brought his boots.

We won that day 3-1 but I remember little of the game other than when I was sitting on the terrace, just right of the goal eating sausage chips and beans when a wayward shot came right at me causing me to spill beans all down my t-shirt.

We lost away at Mansfield 2-1 which featured an exciting substitute appearance by a lad called Roger Boli. We won’t see him again was the general consensus as we all departed.

It was a pretty uninspiring pre season but we signed Boli which was pleasing. The final friendly was just a youth team jobbie at Bilston. We sat in the main stand just behind Jan and noted him going down to the dugout about 15 minutes in. Oh he’s not happy with something and going to make a change. No, he lit a fag. smoked it and went back to his seat.

The first month of the season wasn’t great. Victories over Exeter in both legs of the first round of the League Cup were the only wins until the last Saturday when the first league win finally decided to come knocking. And what a win it was. Another new signing Jeff Peron put in a ridiculous high cross which people behind me were moaning at but somehow Boli made a connection to it with an overhead kick. Simply one of the best goals I’ve seen live and initially nobody celebrated. Everyone was thinking did we just see that? Boli went on to grab a hat trick in a 3-1 win although coverage of this was lost in the coming days due to the death of Princess Diana.

It was halfway through September when we next won. This time away at Nottingham Forest in the next round of the League Cup. Paul Mitchell had got us a lift with a Forest fan who knew the key info as where to park and drink. A Justin Skinnner header gave us a memorable win at The City Ground. A Forest fan told me in the pub afterwards “you know we’ll destroy in the second leg?”. “You probably will” I replied “but you can’t take tonight off us.”

The home leg was epic, eventually. A packed Bescot, underneath the lights and live on Sky. We went two goals down but a quick fire Andy Watson brace put us ahead on aggregate amid scenes of pandemonium. “What is going on here?” being the Sky commentators puzzled enquiry.

League wins were still at a premium but Sheffield United were dispatched in another memorable night at Bescot in the cup. The cup run ended with a 4-1 loss away at West Ham but another memorable night.

In the 2nd round of The F.A Cup we were away at Macclesfield. The Macc Lads had just come up from The Conference and doing well and unbeaten at home in Division 4 while we were still struggling to win games in Division 3. Steve Stuart drove and we found a great pub. As soon as we walked in a Macclesfield fan fan approached us and asked “is there any good pubs by your ground?” “One or two, why?” we replied puzzled. “Because today is going to be a draw you know that?” Me and Steve fell over ourselves in our haste to accept the draw.

We went 2 up, Macclesfield were reduced to 10 men and we just took control. Jeff Peron put in one of the finest winger displays I’ve ever seen and how he didn’t score still baffles me. He missed one chance and made a donkey ears gesture to us. I asked at 6-0 if 6 was enough to have our score spelt out in letters on the results vidi printer. Nobody was sure. I turned round just as number 7 went in. “Now it will be spelt out.”.

On the way out I commented that Efe Sodje getting sent off had given us the green light to run riot to which Darren Fellows replied “I think you’ll find Sodje starting the game gave us the green light to run riot.” Me and Steve changed our mind about accepting the draw.

Our third round match against Peterborough was called off meaning we would be in the 4th round draw which was something of a novelty. A few of us gathered in The Fullbrook to watch us get Manchester United away. There was a collective cheer then a universal shit as the reality of still having to get past Peterborough hit.

A massive crowd went to London Road that night. A stunning display saw us win 2-0 amongst joyous scenes. I was living with Paul Mitchell at the time and we got home and it was all a bit subdued after a long emotional night . We stood in the Kitchen, not saying much. He fed the cats and it just hit us. “We’re going to Old Trafford.” Renewed joyous scenes.

I worked for a company called Corroy Products at the time and I got on really well with the rep from one of our main suppliers Resisser Screws. They advertised at Old Trafford and he’d said a couple of months earlier that if Walsall ever played at Old Trafford, he would get me in their box. We laughed. True to his word though, two days after the Peterborough game he came in specially to honour his word. I was grateful but turned it down. Everyone thought I was mad but an occasion like that I wanted to be in the stand with my mates.

We lost the game 5-1 to a full strength Manchester United but just seeing us score a goal there was ace. United treated us well and even Alex Ferguson said nice things about us afterwards.

The league season continued to be laborious but another chance of Wembley was looming. The 3rd round of The Auto Windscreens Shield saw us away at Bristol Rovers. I missed that one but but by all accounts it was pretty turgid. Boli hardly touched the ball as it ended 0-0 at full time. Jimmy Walker said afterwards that as the final whistle blew Boli rushed for the changing room and his face dropped when told that there was extra time. It was then explained that golden goal was in effect and next goal was the winner. Pretty much straight from kick off Boli went on a crazy run, scored the winner, asked “ok?” and dashed off the pitch.

We lost the first leg of the area final 2-0 but despite this a large crowed still went down to Bournemouth for the second leg. We went 2-0 up levelling the aggregate but straight away Bournemouth pulled one back. We went 3-1 up and dared to dream but again straight away Bournemouth scored again meaning we lost 4-3 on aggregate and our first Wembley visit was again out the window and a miserable journey home followed.

The league season petered out after that, although a stunning win at promotion chasing Watford occurred along with Peron’s only goal for us in a rare win over Wigan but I think we only stayed up because there was 4 worse teams and he was sacked in the Summer. The cup runs will be forever remembered. Big Fat Jan will always be in Walsall folklore. My mate Stubbsy who was running a cafe in Blackpool at the time and named his largest breakfast after him, and despite the dismal league form he will always be spoken of fondly by Walsall fans. This was apparent talking to folk before and during Tuesday’s win over Morecambe.

He didn’t get another job in English football management and went on to run a pub in the Wilnecote area of Tamworth and for many years my ambition was to go and have a pint with him. I finally got around to this in 2017, taking Blackpool Jane along with me, only to find he had left the pub two weeks earlier.

Thanks for the memories Jan, sleep well fella.