Dean Smith rooting for happier outcome as Walsall head back to Wembley

But now more than a decade on, a tinge of disappointment remains at how things played out on the day.

On Monday, Smith will be sat watching events at Wembley from the Charlotte FC training ground, hoping Mat Sadler and the class of 2025 can experience a different outcome.

“It was a great occasion. I can still remember it vividly. I was still ginger back then!” smiles Smith, while recalling the 2015 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final.

“It was just disappointing how things went on the day. We never really played as well as we could.”

Smith is quick to point out the circumstances facing the Saddlers this time around are very different.

Back in 2015, they were big underdogs against a Bristol City team which would go on to win the League One title with nearly 100 points. Smith recalls a post-match conversation with then Saddlers owner Jeff Bonser which helped lift his spirits after the 2-0 defeat.

“I was gutted and it was the chairman who came over and pointed out their squad was 10 times our budget,” he says. “It made me feel a bit better.”Monday’s match with AFC Wimbledon is far more evenly matched and in the context of a season where the Saddlers appeared to be cruising to the title before a dramatic collapse, feels impossible to call.

In terms of what is at stake compared to 10 years ago, there really is no comparison.