Chris Marsh cannot wait for Walsall fans to ‘have our club back’
Walsall legend Chris Marsh is excited to see them reunited with the Bescot freehold at long last, adding: “We’ll have our club back.”
The Saddlers’ long-standing process of paying rent to a pension fund, of which former owner Jeff Bonser is a beneficiary, is set to come to an end.
The Trivela Group, who became majority owners last month, have committed to buying Bescot within two years and ending the agreement which currently sees them pay a crippling £500,000 a year for the stadium. Marsh says that day cannot come soon enough.
“Getting the freehold is key. I’m no expert, but when you buy a football club, you want to have the stadium,” said Marsh, who played more than 470 times for Walsall.
“This has dragged on for ages and it’s time for it to be sorted once and for all.
“The news they’re going to sort it out is much-welcome.
“When you’re beholden to that strategy, the quicker you can secure the freehold, the better.
“I’m speaking as a fan and as soon as that freehold is sorted out, it’s going to feel like we’ve got our club back.
“That’s the key. Get it done quick and the club really can move forward.
“My message would be forget two years, two weeks will do! Let’s get it done, and then the fans can have their club back and you can move forward.
“Whatever you think of the era and what Jeff Bonser did, everybody has their own opinion, but the quicker it happens, the better.”
Marsh hopes the Trivela takeover can bring about brighter times and allow Michael Flynn to succeed as boss.
“Michael came in last year and steadied the ship, and he’ll want to kick on,” added Marsh.
“He’s proven. It was a good appointment for me, and the fact he’s made so many signings shows you it needed changing.
“He can’t come in and do it overnight, but he seems to have got a good squad together and they’ll look to have a good pre-season.
“As soon as that season starts, we’ll see what they can do, but it’s a good appointment.
“It’s like a fresh start and it’s good to be a Walsall fan at the moment.
“Hopefully, it’ll be a good start to the season.
“He’s proven and it’ll be full steam ahead, hopefully.”
