Ball out O leary in at Sunderland - Bill Howell at Birmingham Mail

Richard Money

Money is new Saddlers boss
Walsall FC have announced the man they want to take them out of the football basement, former Fulham player Richard Money.

The former Fulham, Luton, Liverpool and Portsmouth player was welcomed to the club at a press conference at Bescot Stadium on Wednesday morning.

Money, who said he was aiming to get the Saddlers out of League Two straight away, played for Fulham 115 times between 1977 and 1980 before being sold to Liverpool. He was also manager of Swedish clubs AIK Stockholm and Vasteras, before he took Australian outfit Newcastle Jets to the play-offs in the 2004/2005 season.

"When the chance of the Walsall job became available and the opportunity to return to British football, it was a very easy decision to make," he said.

"My task here is very straightforward - to get this club back into League One, and to do it next season. There can be no guarantees, but let me just say that if I did not believe I could accomplish this task, I would not be coming here.

"From today I will be demanding that everyone at Walsall Football Club will focus on one objective for 2006/07 and that is promotion. The hard work starts now."

Money has also had coaching experience as a youth team coach at Aston Villa and as the manager of Scunthorpe United, as well at a number of Scandinavian clubs.

He worked with Frank Clark at Nottingham Forest and Manchester City before joining Coventry City, first as academy director and then as a first-team coach.

Chairman Jeff Bonser said: "When Richard was offered the chance of an interview, he had no hesitation in travelling for 36 hours over the weekend to meet the board of directors.

"He is an outstanding candidate in terms of qualifications and experience and his appointment has the unanimous approval of the board.

"We are focused on regaining our League One status at the first attempt and believe that Richard is the right man to achieve that objective."

Money has been given a two-year contract and will commence his duties immediately, although Mark Kinsella will remain in charge of team affairs for Saturday's final game against Barnsley.