# 2001–02 Walsall F.C. season

During the 2001–02 English football season, Walsall competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

After a disappointing start to the 2001–02 season, pressure was piling on Graydon and following an abject performance and 1–0 defeat, against local rivals West Brom, Jeff Bonser dismissed Graydon. His replacement, ex-Wolves manager Colin Lee polarised supporters, but ultimately proved to be a success. The style of football improved and Lee's signings improved the team dramatically. Relegation was avoided thanks to vital away wins against Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 16 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 12 | 18 | 16 | 50 | 51 | −1 | 54 |
| 17 | Portsmouth | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 60 | 72 | −12 | 53 |
| 18 | Walsall | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 51 | 71 | −20 | 51 |
| 19 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 50 | 72 | −22 | 50 |
| 20 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 49 | 71 | −22 | 50 |

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source: 2001-02 Football League First Division table

### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | W | D | L | L | L | L | D | L | L | D | W | L | L | W | L | W | D | W | L | D | L | L | L | W | L | W | L | D | L | L | W | D | L | L | D | L | D | W | D | W | L | D | W | W | W | D |
| Position | 8 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 18 |

## Results

Walsall's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 11 August 2001 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–1 | 9,181 | Leitão, Barras |
| 18 August 2001 | Preston North End | A | 1–1 | 11,402 | Herivelto |
| 25 August 2001 | Birmingham City | H | 1–2 | 7,245 | Herivelto |
| 27 August 2001 | Watford | A | 1–2 | 14,652 | Leitão |
| 8 September 2001 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 1–2 | 6,809 | Simpson |
| 15 September 2001 | Burnley | A | 2–5 | 14,019 | Wrack, Davis (own goal) |
| 18 September 2001 | Portsmouth | H | 0–0 | 6,153 | |
| 21 September 2001 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–3 | 8,327 | |
| 25 September 2001 | Manchester City | A | 0–3 | 31,525 | |
| 29 September 2001 | Millwall | H | 0–0 | 6,289 | |
| 9 October 2001 | Norwich City | H | 2–0 | 5,713 | Barras, Byfield |
| 14 October 2001 | Coventry City | H | 0–1 | 7,515 | |
| 20 October 2001 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–2 | 16,275 | Byfield |
| 23 October 2001 | Rotherham United | H | 3–2 | 6,162 | Matías (2), Wrack |
| 27 October 2001 | Gillingham | A | 0–2 | 7,548 | |
| 30 October 2001 | Stockport County | A | 2–0 | 4,553 | Angell, Thøgersen |
| 3 November 2001 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–2 | 6,795 | Barras (2) |
| 11 November 2001 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–0 | 6,754 | Matías, Angell |
| 17 November 2001 | Bradford City | A | 0–2 | 14,251 | |
| 20 November 2001 | Wimbledon | A | 2–2 | 4,249 | Thøgersen, Leitão |
| 24 November 2001 | Sheffield United | H | 1–2 | 6,415 | Wrack |
| 1 December 2001 | Rotherham United | A | 0–2 | 6,273 | |
| 8 December 2001 | Barnsley | A | 1–4 | 12,509 | Aranalde |
| 15 December 2001 | Grimsby Town | H | 4–0 | 5,080 | Biancalani, Angell, Leitão, Herivelto |
| 22 December 2001 | Birmingham City | A | 0–1 | 20,127 | |
| 26 December 2001 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 2–1 | 7,325 | Aranalde, Biancalani |
| 29 December 2001 | Watford | H | 0–3 | 6,882 | |
| 1 January 2002 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | 19,434 | Tillson |
| 12 January 2002 | Preston North End | H | 1–2 | 6,314 | Wrack |
| 20 January 2002 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–1 | 20,290 | |
| 29 January 2002 | Wimbledon | H | 2–1 | 5,388 | Leitão, Carbon |
| 2 February 2002 | Millwall | A | 2–2 | 11,285 | Matías, Keates (pen) |
| 9 February 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 0–3 | 8,290 | |
| 19 February 2002 | Coventry City | A | 1–2 | 13,736 | Holdsworth |
| 23 February 2002 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | 7,618 | |
| 26 February 2002 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–3 | 27,043 | |
| 2 March 2002 | Portsmouth | A | 1–1 | 13,203 | O'Connor |
| 5 March 2002 | Burnley | H | 1–0 | 5,611 | Marcelo |
| 9 March 2002 | Grimsby Town | A | 2–2 | 7,016 | Leitão, Byfield |
| 16 March 2002 | Barnsley | H | 2–1 | 7,495 | Byfield, Goodman |
| 23 March 2002 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–2 | 21,038 | |
| 30 March 2002 | Gillingham | H | 1–1 | 6,190 | Herivelto |
| 1 April 2002 | Nottingham Forest | A | 3–2 | 16,659 | Simpson, Matías, Corica |
| 6 April 2002 | Stockport County | H | 1–0 | 6,322 | Leitão |
| 13 April 2002 | Sheffield United | A | 1–0 | 20,520 | Leitão |
| 21 April 2002 | Bradford City | H | 2–2 | 8,079 | Corica (2) |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 8 January 2002 | Bradford City | H | 2–0 | 4,509 | Bennett, Angell |
| R4 | 26 January 2002 | Charlton Athletic | A | 2–1 | 18,573 | Leitão (2) |
| R5 | 16 February 2002 | Fulham | H | 1–2 | 8,766 | Byfield |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 21 August 2001 | Exeter City | A | 1–0 | 1,993 | Herivelto |
| R2 | 11 September 2001 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 3–4 (a.e.t.) | 5,761 | Wrack, Byfield, Barras |

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Jimmy Walker |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Matt Carbon |
| 3 | DF | NED | Gus Uhlenbeek (on loan from Sheffield United) |
| 4 | MF | SCO | Tom Bennett |
| 5 | MF | ENG | Martin O'Connor |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Ian Roper |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Darren Wrack |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Don Goodman |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Dean Keates |
| 12 | MF | JAM | Fitzroy Simpson |
| 14 | FW | POR | Jorge Leitão |
| 15 | DF | ESP | Zigor Aranalde |
| 16 | MF | NGA | Adolphus Ofodile |
| 17 | GK | ENG | Lee Harper |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Mark Wright |
| 19 | MF | POR | Carlos André (on loan from Vitória S.C.) |
| 20 | MF | ENG | Gary Birch |
| 21 | DF | ENG | Matt Gadsby |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Karl Hawley |
| 23 | MF | POR | Carlos Garrocho |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Dion Scott |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Tony Barras |
| 26 | MF | BRA | Moreira Herivelto |
| 27 | MF | ESP | Pedro Matías |
| 28 | DF | FRA | Frédéric Biancalani |
| 29 | DF | ENG | David Holdsworth (on loan from Birmingham City) |
| 31 | FW | BRA | Marcelo |
| 32 | MF | AUS | Steve Corica |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Ian Gaunt (Released) |
| 19 | MF | JAM | Paul Hall (to Rushden & Diamonds) |
| 29 | MF | ENG | Tom Curtis (on loan from Portsmouth) |
| 30 | DF | ENG | Steve Chettle (on loan from Barnsley) |
| 29 | DF | DEN | Thomas Thøgersen (on loan from Portsmouth) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Andy Tillson (to Rushden & Diamonds) |
| 33 | DF | SCO | Greg Shields (on loan from Charlton Athletic) |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Ian Brightwell (to Stoke City) |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Brett Angell (to Rushden & Diamonds) |
| 8 | FW | ENG | Darren Byfield (to Rotherham United) |

### Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | GK | ENG | Dean Coleman |
| - | DF | ENG | Julian Bennett |
| - | MF | FRA | Xavier Barrau |
| - | MF | AUS | Dino Mennillo |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | MF | ENG | Craig Stanley |
| - | FW | ENG | Taiwo Atieno |
| - | FW | ENG | Andy Bishop |
| - | FW | ENG | Matty Fryatt |