Ex-Hatter Taylor is sacked by Walsall after seven straight defeats

Ex-Hatter Matthew Taylor had only been in charge of Walsall since June 2021

Former Luton defender Matt Taylor has been sacked by League Two Walsall following a run of seven straight defeats.

The 40-year-old came through the ranks at Kenilworth Road, making 147 appearances and scoring 17 goals between 1999-2002, until heading to Portsmouth.

Taylor went on to ply his trade in the top flight with spells at Bolton Wanderers, West Ham United and Burnley, before featuring for Northampton Town and Swindon Town, retiring at the end of the 2018-19 season.

He had a brief spell as Swindon interim manager, then taking a role on the coaching staff at Tottenham Hotspur, appointed as the Saddlers manager back in June.

However, a disastrous run since the turn of the year as see Walsall lose their last seven in a row, scoring only twice, dropping to 21st in the table, with the final straw a 1-0 reverse at bottom side Scunthorpe on Tuesday night.

Taylor won just nine of his 36 games in charge at Banks's Stadium as chairman Leigh Pomlett told the club's official website said: "The fact is we have lost seven game on the bounce and that is not acceptable to me, the club or the supporters.

"I ask that you give us continued support over this very difficult phase.

"We are not where I wanted us to be at all and after we beat Colchester I thought we were heading in the right direction.

"This has come as a real shock and disappointment to me that we have lost seven games on the bounce and we should not have done.

"I think the frustration of the fans is fully understood, I sense and share it with you entirely.

"We've got a lot of emails coming in which we understand.

"All I ask, very politely, is if you wouldn't mind desisting from doing that for the time being while we deal with the issues - that would be helpful.

"I know how you feel, because I feel the same way."