Following the news that former Walsall midfielder Craig Shakespeare recently died at the age of 60, former Saddlers CEO and Associate Director Roy Whalley has paid a special tribute.To be published in this weekend's match programme, the club has also confirmed there will be a minute's applause ahead of kick-off, with the players wearing black armbands as we pay tribute to a Saddlers legend.
Making some 355 Saddlers appearances between 1981 and 1989, Craig left an indelible mark upon many of the faithful and it is only right the club pays tribute ahead of the new campaign.
© Walsall FC
Also issued via the club's official website, Roy's tribute says: It is with great sadness that we received news of the passing of our former player Craig Shakespeare, on 1st August, at the age of 60.
He was a much-loved and admired player at Walsall FC and went on to play and coach at the highest level.
I recall first meeting Craig and his parents at Fellows Park in 1979.
Walsall FC Chief Scout, Ron Jukes, had asked me to look after them at a home game, as he sought to secure the signature of the 16-year-old.
Little did I know that Craig would go on to make over 350 appearances for the Saddlers, scoring 60 goals, and becoming a huge favourite with our supporters.
I remember him as a very classy left sided midfielder with a cultured left foot and a hammer like shot that made him a very potent taker of free kicks and penalties.
Craig or 'Shakey' as he was known was a key figure in the Saddlers team that reached the semi-final of the Milk Cup in 1983-84, and our promotion-winning team of 1987-88 which took us into the Second Division (now the Championship).
After being transferred to Sheffield Wednesday for a substantial fee in July 1988, his career was to later take in spells with WBA, Grimsby and Scunthorpe United.
After his playing career came to an end he embarked on a remarkable coaching career that started at WBA and Watford, and then as assistant to Claudio Ranieri at Leicester City, the pinnacle of winning the Premier League title in 2016.
He was later to team up with former Saddlers legends Dean Smith and Richard O'Kelly at Aston Villa and Norwich City, as well as Sam Allardyce with England and Everton.
Anyone who knows or worked with 'Shakey' will tell you that he was a great guy and a gentleman. Former colleague Nigel Pearson described him as 'wonderfully talented, emotionally understanding, calm and outrageously funny'.
He died far too early and we send our deepest condolences to his family and friends at this very sad time.