Walsall are exploring potential candidates to replace Mat Sadler, with former Birmingham City defender Liam Ridgewell emerging as a reported contender.
The Saddlers are searching for a new manager after ending Sadler’s tenure following a difficult run of results in League Two.
Sadler’s departure came after more than two and a half years in charge at Bescot Stadium, with Walsall’s form slipping during the early months of 2026. A sequence of poor results, including just two victories in 14 league matches, saw the club fall away from the automatic promotion race and ultimately led to the decision to make a change in the dugout.
Darren Byfield has been placed in interim control while the club evaluates its options. The former Walsall forward is expected to oversee preparations for the Saddlers’ upcoming fixture against Crewe Alexandra, giving the board time to consider longer-term candidates.
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One name linked with the vacancy is Liam Ridgewell, currently working in Major League Soccer as assistant manager of Portland Timbers. Reports have suggested the former defender is among those under consideration as the club begins the process of identifying a permanent replacement.
Ridgewell has been part of the coaching staff in Portland since early 2023, working under head coach Phil Neville. Before returning to the United States in that capacity, he had taken his first steps into coaching in England with National League side Dover Athletic.
The 41-year-old enjoyed a long playing career at the top levels of English football. He emerged through the youth system at Aston Villa and went on to establish himself as a regular in the Premier League during the early 2000s. Across five seasons with Villa, he made more than 90 appearances and contributed seven goals from central defence.
A move across the West Midlands to Birmingham City followed in 2007, where Ridgewell became a key figure during a successful period for the club. He made 175 appearances in all competitions and was part of the side that famously lifted the League Cup in 2011 after defeating Arsenal at Wembley.
He later joined West Bromwich Albion, spending two and a half seasons with the Baggies and adding further Premier League experience before moving to the United States in 2014.
Ridgewell’s time with Portland Timbers proved particularly successful. He captained the club to Major League Soccer Cup glory in 2015 and played more than 100 matches during his five-year spell in Oregon. After returning briefly to English football with Hull City and Southend United, he retired from playing in 2020 and moved fully into coaching.
For Walsall, the immediate priority is stabilising their season after a slump in form that has left their promotion ambitions under threat. Although they remain within reach of the play-off places, recent performances have raised concerns, particularly defensively and in front of goal.
The appointment of the next manager will therefore carry significant weight. Whoever takes over will be tasked not only with reviving results in the closing weeks of the campaign but also with restoring momentum to a side that had once looked capable of mounting a serious promotion challenge.