\n<\/p>\n
It was the first of 99 league goals he has scored in his overall tally of 109 – one target he might have on his radar.<\/p>\n
Now, almost 19 years on, he is playing under new Walsall boss Grant – and there have been 20 others in between.<\/p>\n
Ian Hendon and Mark Stimson in three seasons at Barnet before being signed by Bristol City.<\/p>\n
He played just twice under Steve Coppell, who left after two games in August 2010 – and he then played under three more bosses at Ashton Gate – Keith Millen, current Rangers boss Derek McInnes and Sean O’Driscoll. <\/p>\n
There were two more at Middlesbrough, where he was signed by Tony Mowbray, and then played under Aitor Karanka.<\/p>\n
It was also at Boro where he made his only two Premier League appearances before returning to the Championship to be signed by Aston Villa, for whom he was signed by Roberto Di Matteo before also playing for Steve Bruce and Dean Smith.<\/p>\n
This time he left without kicking another ball in the top flight for more Championship football at Nottingham Forest under Sabri Lamouchi, including a nine-game loan spell for Neil Harris at Cardiff City.<\/p>\n
After leaving Forest on the same day as Lamouchi during the Covid pandemic in October 2020, four more years followed in the Championship at QPR under first Mark Warburton, then four more Rs bosses, Michael Beale, Neil Critchley, Gareth Ainsworth and Marti Cifuentes.<\/p>\n
Then it was back to League Two to sign for Mat Sadler at Walsall, where he has also worked under Darren Byfield and Grant.<\/p>\n
A total of 800 games – none of them in League One or the National League. <\/p>\n
Tiers two and four only, except for those two Premier League games for Boro.<\/p>\n
And still he gets excited by it all – showing he still has a role to play, having even had a part in Saturday’s late second goal – a ‘pre-assist’ in a goal fashioned by all three Walsall substitutes.<\/p>\n
“It was just a nice combination-play down the right between Chas (Crew) and myself – and a wonderful finish by Dallo. Once it left his foot you could see it flying in top bins.<\/p>\n
“But really it’s just amazing to win. And in front of our supporters too. Just like I did in that first game for Barnet.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n