3 Mat Sadler replacements Walsall FC must consider ASAP | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at three managers who should be on Walsall's watchlist following the recent departure of Mat Sadler

League Two promotion hopefuls Walsall are poised to direct a managerial search in order to source a replacement for Mat Sadler in the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign, having parted ways with the 41-year-old following Tuesday evening's 1-0 defeat at Salford City.

As first reported via X by journalist Pete O'Rourke, Walsall have relieved Sadler of his duties amid a disappointing run of form, which has seen the Saddlers lose their last three consecutive league games and claim only two victories since the turn of the year.

Widely-tipped as promotion candidates following last term's dramatic collapse, in which the Black Country outfit surrendered what was a 12-point lead at the top of League Two to fall into the play-offs before losing out to AFC Wimbledon at Wembley, Sadler failed to deliver on expectations this time around and make amends for one of the EFL's most shocking all-time throwaways.

Walsall started the season in strong form but their fortunes have dwindled for some time now, and with just 10 fixtures to spare of the current campaign, they're positioned in 11th place.

There is, however, merely three points separating Walsall from Grimsby Town in seventh, and a late surge towards the play-offs is still possible if they can right their wrongs and seal a swift and successful replacement for Sadler.

With that in mind, Football League World has rounded up three potential managerial candidates who could be worth eyeing up from the powers that be at the Bescot Stadium as they look to replace Sadler.

3 ? ? Darren Moore

Perhaps the most plausible inclusion would have to be Darren Moore, who has recently re-emerged onto the managerial market following his sacking at League One side Port Vale.

The Valiants are enjoying something of a resurgence after replacing Moore with ex-Northampton Town boss Jon Brady, which isn't exactly the best look for the 51-year-old, although it's worth remembering that he clinched promotion at Vale Park just last term and knows what's required to get out of the fourth-tier.

With promotion-winning experience into the Championship at Sheffield Wednesday and stints with the likes of West Bromwich Albion and Huddersfield Town also under his belt, Moore certainly has pedigree and nous throughout the EFL and a move to Walsall would work geographically for the Birmingham native, too.

Moore was briefly linked with a return to West Brom following the sacking of Eric Ramsay, but with James Morison having now landed the top job on an interim basis until the end of the season, he could be worth consideration and would clearly have few qualms about dropping to League Two.

2 ? ? Lee Grant

It's somewhat more ambitious in light of his recent experience, but Lee Grant represents another name who should be courted by Walsall as they amplify their efforts to replace Sadler and mount a fresh late march towards the top-seven.

Grant himself was dismissed at Huddersfield back in January, and though few would deny the former Stoke City and Derby County shot-stopper underachieved with a generous budget and a playing squad which had been predicted to seal automatic promotion, the Terriers were still in sixth position at the time of his departure.

That's not to say Grant's tenure at the Accu Stadium was a successful one, of course, but having won 17 of his 36 games in charge during what was his first senior managerial role, he's hardly the sort of head coach who Walsall could turn their noses up at.

Whether Grant, who feels he was hard done by after being sacked at Huddersfield, would be open to the opportunity of moving down to League Two remains another matter entirely, but such a move would give him more time to implement a long-term project and it may be the best proving ground for the ex-Town boss.

1 ? ? Noel Hunt

The third and final manager who FLW believes should be eyed up by Walsall in the coming days is another boss who was most recently managing at League One level in Noel Hunt.

Hunt was appointed in charge of Reading in December 2024 following the departure of Ruben Selles, having spent time managing the U21 side of his former club, and nearly took the Royals into the third-tier play-offs against all odds and amid a backdrop of off-field peril under now-ex-owner Dai Yongge.

Reading, whose very existence came under threat throughout the 2024/25 campaign, only finished three points shy of sixth-placed Leyton Orient with next to no financial resources to call upon and a young makeshift squad.

However, Hunt failed to kick on after Reading were purchased by Rob Couhig, and with elevated expectations, the ex-Royals attacker was dismissed following just three league victories by late October, which left the Berkshire side positioned in 19th.

Hunt clearly has potential in the dugout, and while it ultimately didn't work out at Reading, he's shown himself to be a capable coach with a track record of working with young talent - which may appeal to Walsall's hierarchy.

Much like Grant, he lacks the promotion-winning experience of somebody like Moore, and the Saddlers may now need to decide between a proven taskmaster with skin in the game or a younger, more progressive-minded coach with long-term upside and potential.