The Saddlers Club closed a few years ago and lay dormant until last year when work began on refurbishing it and it opened again on Boxing Day to a limited number of customers. Early reports weren’t good with comments being it looked bare and the seating being like a school canteen. It opened again against Wrexham before being given its official opening in January and by now new decor had been applied to the walls to make it look a bit more welcoming to us Saddlers.

Now called The Locker, season ticket holders and participants in the Walsall FC membership scheme can gain entry to the club for free but for all other patrons there is a £5 charge to enter, so it took me a while to venture in but after Tuesday’s dramatic late win over Accrington Stanley it was time to give it a whirl, although this decision was made easier by the club now closing the Bescot Bar after half time.

The foyer, the desk has gone as has the pay phone though the latter I guess being a victim of the times. It looks big and barren now but if any disgruntled away fans want a post match game of Twister with a Walsall fan to try and claim some kind of victory to take home, this space would be ideal. Plenty of room for angry onlookers and handy for the toilets.

I tried to venture in to what was the members room but it was in darkness. Apparently it’s been gutted with the pool room and darts sections now merged into the room.

So into the back room. The raised seating area has gone, as has the carpet and the stage. No soft furnishings now, it’s just hard benches. Paddy McGuinness says in his current On The Beach advert something like his buttocks were built for luxury so he won’t be popping in any time soon.
The bar is in the same place and there were a few people queuing as you would expect straight after the match and they were all served quickly. I joined my ace Niece Amber, Laura and Badge (that’s all I know him as) and it was mentioned that the room is different but feels the same and it’s right. I could still picture the long UTS table that used to run up the middle of the room.

The good thing about this being open and the other hospitality bars being closed post match is it means being able to see people that sit in other parts of the ground which was ace. Even seeing friend of the blog Coxy who I aint seen for yonks.

I got a round in and was looking forward to trying a NoFo beer, a brewery based in Georgia, USA that we all thought were going to be supplying an ale or two in here but it was just the standard fare. NoFo sponsor our training tops and their Twitter account @NoFoBrewCo proudly boasts we’m Walsall in their bio.

Beer is served in plastic glasses but at least they are the sturdy ones and not the type that you can squeeze as easily as dog shit in a poo bag. Please note that I have never done that, it was the first analogy that came to mind.

On to the toilets then. They were still pristine and smelt new. 3 cubicles but I didn’t check the status of door locks and toilet roll levels, having been disappointed by these aspects in the past. Square sinks, I love a square sink and two powerful hand driers. Not quite as sexy as Dyson Airblades but still good. I don’t mind missing out on the Airblades if the difference in cost is put towards signing Dave Okagbue in the Summer. I did want to take a picture of these pristine toilets but by the time I’d dried my hands another user was in. As you know from previous blogs, I get scared trying to take pictures of the outside of take aways so wasn’t going to take a shot of the loos when a man is at the urinal trough with his willy out.

So to summarise, I like the place. Maybe pad the benches and that will help. I’m pondering getting a season ticker for 24/25 so I can use this place at my leisure in the future. Hello, it’s early bird time already. I might sell my body to raise the £350 cost, but it would be worth it.

If you’re heading in The Locker before or after today’s game against Doncaster, have a good un. Come on you Saddlers.