Always worry when things like this happen

An American investment firm has bought a controlling stake in Walsall.

Club chairman Leigh Pomlett, who has owned 76% of the club's shares since 2019, has transferred 51% of his stake to Alabama-based Trivela Group LLC.

League Two side Walsall is the first club the investment firm, founded by Benjamin Boycott and Kenneth Polk last year, have got involved with.

Pomlett said he believes the firm "are the right group with the right vision to help take the club forward".

It is understood Boycott and Polk have met all required English Football League regulations to go through with the takeover.

Pomlett, who succeeded long-time owner Jeff Bonser as the club's majority shareholder in the summer of 2019, will continue to serve as co-chairman with Boycott for four years "to ensure a smooth transition".

Along with the transfer of a majority stake in the Saddlers, Walsall have said Trivela "injected additional capital directly into the club for strategic investment" when the deal was done last week.

As part of the deal, the firm has agreed to purchase Pomlett's remaining 25% of shares within two years and fund the purchase of the freehold on Walsall's Bescot Stadium home.

The Trivela Group say they are "building towards a multi-club ownership model in global football", with Boycott adding the firm were "extremely drawn" to Walsall because of "the passion that this town has for the team, and extremely impressed with the work that management has done to build a sustainable football club".

Walsall have reported profits for 16 consecutive years, which includes a pre-tax profit of £13,000 for the 12-months up to 31 May, 2021 - a period that covered last season, which was played behind closed doors because of the pandemic.

The Saddlers finished 16th in League Two in the recently completed 2021-22 season.

'A wild card' - Analysis
Mike Taylor, BBC WM sports reporter

For decades, while Jeff Bonser controlled Walsall, many Saddlers supporters hoped for new ownership, notwithstanding some notable periods of success. When that change came in 2019, the response was largely positive, as Leigh Pomlett was known to be a supporter. Under his stewardship, however, there has been no great transformation of the club's fortunes on the field, and despite Pomlett's efforts to articulate his plans, the long-lasting gloom of many fans has lingered.

Now comes this wild card, almost entirely unexpected, which may upend all the generally understood truths about Walsall FC that have been in place since the early 1990s. Walsall fans have always hoped that they would find more money to spend, either to stave off bad times or capitalise on opportunities, especially after the two promotions to the second tier achieved during that time.

It was never expected that they would find that money. Walsall's methods may at times have appeared by football standards almost monastic, but they have offered their fans a comfort - however cold to some - that they would survive the moments of greatest crisis, such as the demise of ITV Digital, or the effects of lockdown.

Already online this morning, new hopes are being expressed - and also, until the new owners prove themselves, new fears. One key factor to note at this stage, however, is the promise in the club's statement that the plans include the purchase of the stadium freehold. Regardless of the financial effects on the club, such a move would be a symbolic marker for many supporters wishing to end all links with the previous owner, and an early garland for the new regime.

Stalwart defender Gary Liddle is to leave Hartlepool United when his contract expires later this month.

The 35-year-old has played 364 games for Pools over two spells, having initially joined from hometown club Middlesbrough in August 2006.

He is ninth on the club's all-time appearances list and played 38 games in all competitions this season.

"I always knew I'd have to leave one day, I do so with a huge sense of achievement," Liddle said.

"It's been a whirlwind two-and-a-half years packed with highs, lows, and Covid of course in that first season, but two-and-a-half years filled with a huge amount of success and a personal sense of accomplishment."

Liddle, who lists Bradford, Carlisle and Notts County among his other former clubs, has already cemented his future plans, says chairman Raj Singh.

"We have discussed the club's future plans and in context we understand Gary's reasons," he said.

"He has an opportunity to join a club on a long-term deal with security for himself and his family at this stage in his career. He leaves with our best wishes."

Notts County AET
Wrexham AET
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League football returns to the Arctic outpost of Grimsby

Hartlepool United have appointed Cove Rangers boss Paul Hartley as their new manager after agreeing compensation with the Scottish club.

The 45-year-old has been in charge at Alloa Athletic, Dundee and most recently Cove Rangers where he oversaw two promotions up to the Championship.

Hartley, along with assistant Gordon Young, succeeds Graeme Lee, who was sacked after five months in May.

"This is an opportunity me and Gordon couldn't turn down," Hartley said.

"The club has truly incredible support from its fans and there is so much potential for this club to kick on."

Cove Rangers had given permission for the pair to speak to League Two Hartlepool, who returned with a second offer to prise Hartley and Young away to the English Football League.

"Compensation has now been agreed and Paul leaves with the best wishes of everyone at Cove Rangers FC," their statement read.

As a player, Hartley won honours with Hearts and Celtic and also had stints in England with Millwall and Bristol City.

After returning to the EFL last season following promotion from the National League, Pools were forced to recruit a new boss when Stockport came in for Dave Challinor mid-season and Lee was named successor.

However, chairman Raj Singh has pledged to give Hartley a "significantly increased budget" to work with given his previous achievements in securing promotion at Alloa, Dundee and Cove.

"Paul has proven to be a winner throughout his career and he is clearly a very hard working and ambitious manager that has already had some remarkable managerial success," Singh said.

"He is a manager and a coach and he has real clarity about how he and Gordon will take the job on. Gordon also comes with an excellent pedigree.

"We spoke to numerous people privately about Paul from across the game and unanimously the opinion was to just go and get him."

Bristol Rovers defender Trevor Clarke has signed a new deal with the newly-promoted side to keep him with the Gas for another two years.

The 24-year-old joined the club on a one-year deal in 2021 following his departure from Rotherham United.

He had an injury-hit season, making just nine appearances, but re-signs with the option of a further year.

"It was tough last year with injuries. But I'm fully fit and can't wait to get the new season started," he said.

Captain Aaron Wildig is leaving Morecambe following the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2021-22 season.

The midfielder turned down a new contract from manager Derek Adams.

The 30-year-old joined the Shrimps in 2015 on a two-month loan deal before signing as a free transfer. He went on to make 248 appearances for the club.

He was made captain this season in the team's first campaign in League One and played 27 times, scoring three goals.

"It has been a tough few weeks deciding if I can make it work but having lived in Lancaster for seven years, the time is right to put my girlfriend and little lad first and move closer to my family," Wildig said.

"I have loved every minute at the club, from the chairmen, football staff, academy staff and people working behind the scenes you won't meet a better bunch of people. I have loads of great memories, Wembley, Coventry, scoring the play-off goal with the fans back in for the first time."

Well this eagerly anticipated WC quali final is certainly intriguing. Wales caretaker manager, Rob Page, resting all his key players last night v Poland and consequently losing their Nations League match 2-1. I reckon Wales will win this final mainly because they are playing at home and they'll have had a good look at the Scotland semi-final debacle v Ukraine at Hampden Park last night. A lotta folk not knowing what to expect from this Ukraine team until they "showed up" last night. Now the Welsh players and coaching staff have a better idea of what to expect, how to play them and target some clear weaknesses in certain positions. IMO Scotland were never gonna win that final if they had managed to get there as this current team/line up not good enough and tactically inept. This match v Ukraine could well "go all the way" to a pk decider although I have a hunch that Gareth Bale will play a pivotal role in Wales qualifying for the first time since 1958 - a historic moment!

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley has left the club to join Premier League side Aston Villa as assistant head coach.

Midfielder David Amoo has been released by promoted Port Vale following the conclusion to their 2021-22 season.

Amoo, 31, has been with Vale since 2019 and has made 100 appearances for the club, including 26 this season in League Two.

New deals have been offered to James Gibbons, Mal Benning and Jamie Proctor, whose contracts expire this month.

The club has also activated one-year extensions for defender Nathan Smith and goalkeeper Aidan Stone.

Centre-forward Proctor, 30, scored 13 goals for Port Vale this season after signing from Rotherham in 2021.

Left-back Benning, 28, also joined last summer and scored in the play-off final victory over Mansfield to seal the team's promotion to League One, while full-back Gibbons has been with the club since 2016 and was a regular feature in Port Vale's back line this season.

Wrexham have released eight players after the expiry of their current contracts.

Lee Camp, Cameron Green, Dan Jarvis, David Jones, Jordan Ponticelli, Devonte Redmond, Dawid Szczepaniak and Kwame Thomas will all leave the Racecourse.

Midfielder Jones, 37, joined in August as a player-coach and will be offered the chance to continue with the National League side as a coach.

Wrexham have extended forward Jake Bickerstaff's deal for another year.

Defender Harry Lennon will be offered a new contract to give him time to prove his fitness for the 2022/23 season after a long-term back problem.

Wrexham just missed out on promotion from the National League this season, finishing runner-up behind champions Stockport County before losing in the play-offs.

The Dragons also lost in the FA Trophy final.