Walsall sack Keates as relegation fears deepen

Posted Sunday, April 07, 2019 by PA

Walsall sacked manager Dean Keates after a 3-1 defeat at home to 10-man Oxford deepened the Saddlers’ relegation fears.

Keates, 40 – who won three promotions as a player with his hometown club – leaves the Saddlers 22nd in League One, one point from safety with five games left.

A short club statement confirmed: “Walsall Football Club have tonight parted company with manager Dean Keates with immediate effect.

“The club would like to place on record its thanks to Dean for all his hard work and dedication during his time with the Saddlers and wish him well for the future.”

Former midfielder Keates led Walsall to League One safety with one game to spare last season after leaving National League side Wrexham to take over from Jon Whitney in March 2018.

But after Oxford’s 10 men inflicted a fifth straight defeat on the Saddlers, Keates was dismissed following a run of 14 losses in 20 games that had plunged Walsall into the bottom four.

Chairman Jeff Bonser then spoke at length to Saddlers coach Martin O’Connor in the stands, sparking suggestions he will be asked to lead the side until the end of the season.

Keates’ fate was sealed by second-half goals from Luke Garbutt and Jerome Sinclair as Oxford brushed off the dismissal of Marcus Browne in first-half injury time to register a fourth straight win.

Oxford had led through Rob Dickie’s header but were pegged back by Andy Cook’s 17th goal of the season.

Browne was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Zeli Ismail but cool finishes from loanees Garbutt and Sinclair gave Oxford a deserved win and all but sealed their safety as well as lifting them into the top half.

Ahmed Kashi, who had earlier been booked and substituted, saw a second yellow for running on to the pitch to celebrate but that could not dim Us boss Karl Robinson’s delight.

He said: “It’s been an amazing six or seven weeks. I think we are safe. No team has ever gone down on 52 points.

“The lads have been brilliant, to go on this run of four straight wins and to have lost just one in eight.

“Through the winding-up orders and all of the difficulties we’ve had – people not being paid, stadium issues, no training ground for the first two months of the season – we’ve come an awful long way, and it’s a real testament to the staff and the players.

“Would I take Kashi’s booking? 100 per cent. Because he cares.

“He’s a loan player – him and Jordan Graham are on loan and they were in the middle of the fans when we scored the third.

“These loan players we’ve brought in in January have made such a difference to the club. I want people who wear our shirt with pride, who care for the football club.”