In Both Camps; Walsall

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Leicester will play Walsall in the 4th round of the FA Cup as we take a closer look of players with a life in both camps. Allan Clarke and Mark Wallington comes to mind, as well at Matty Fryatt.

Josh Gordon, who left the club in 2021 and joined Barrow, added up 107 league games while at Bescot Stadium, scoring a total of 21 goals. He was once signed by Leicester from Stafford Rangers, but never made it to the first team, nice to see that he is getting his career rolling at other levels.

Tyrese Shade played for The Saddlers last season, on loan from Leicester, adding up a total of 39 league games and scoring 2 from his flank position. He later joined Swindon in front of this season.

Mark Wallington joined Leicester from Walsall in 1972, being watched by Peter Shilton in games, before Jimmy Bloomfield decided to pay £30.000 for his services. Wallington had only played 11 league games before making his switch. He later took over the first team gloves from Shilton, when he moved to Stoke. What a great signing and well worth money used as Wallington became an England U.23 international and over several seasons was a ever present and added up a total of 412 league games for Leicester, most of them played at the highest level.

Allan Clarke started his career with Walsall and is one of four brothers to have played for the club. Clarke played 72 league games and scored 41 goals for The Saddlers, from 1963 to 1966, then moving to Fulham. He later joined Leicester and Leeds both being English transfer records. In 1968, Leicester paid Fulham, £150.000 for his services and a year later, in 1969 he moved for £165.000. He made his full England debut during the 1970 World Cup.

Matty Fryatt also started his career with Walsall, scoring 27 goals in 70 league games before making his move to Leicester. From 2006 to 2011 his life was with Leicester, scoring 51 goals in 168 league games. He later had spells at Hull City, Sheffield Wednesday (loan) and Nottingham Forest, before hanging up hist boots in 2017.

Nicky Cross is a forward that used to play for both Leicester and Walsall. He was at Leicester from 1987 to 1989, adding up 58 league appearances, scoring 15 goals. A more impressive tally from his games at Walsall, scoring 45 in 109 appearances. He started with West Bromwich and later had spells at Port Vale and Hereford.

Trevor Christie and Steve Claridge are also two forwards with a life at Walsall and Leicester. Christe played at Bescot Stadium from 1986 to 1989, adding up 99 league games and scoring 22 goals. Claridge only had a short loan spell at the club in 2005/06 season, adding up 7 games and scoring a single goal.

Wayne Clarke, the youngest brother of Allan, made a move to Walsall in 1992, building an impressive tally with 21 goals in 39 league games. He also had a short spell at Leicester, joining from Everton, but in a switch with David Oldfield, moved to Man City in the same season, 1 goal in 11 games at Leicester was his stats as he represented the club in the 1989/90 season, 20 years after his brother Allan had his days at Filbert Street.

Peter Eastoe had loan spells at Leicester and Walsall, being at Leicester twice. His loan to Walsall was in 1984, in between his time at Leicester, being here in 1983 and 1984. 6 league games and 1 goal for Walsall, a total of 11 league games and 2 goals for Leicester.

Graham Fenton who joined Leicester from Blackburn for a fee of £1.1.million. He was not a success and probably the worst signing done by Martin O’Neill while at Leicester, Fenton scored 3 goals in 34 league games, he was at Bescot Stadium for a loan spell in 2000, scoring 1 goal in 9 appearances.

Interesting also to see Julian Joachim among the players with a life in both camps, as he on loan from Leeds played 8 league games and scored 6 goals during the year 2005. David Kelly is also a top forward that started his career at Walsall and later played for Leicester, a total of 63 goals in 147 games.

Former manager at Leicester, Craig Shakespeare wsa a key player in midfield for Walsall over a long period of time. A legend at Bescot, playing a total of 284 league games scoring 45 goals, from 1981 to 1989.

Players in both camps,

Goalkeepers
- Mark Wallington
- Gavin Ward
Defenders
- Colin Gibson
- Ryan McGivern
Midfield
- Gary Ford
- Kevin Harper
- Jamie Lawrence
- Howard Riley
- Gordon Wills
Forwards
- Josh Gordon
- Allan Clarke
- Tyrese Shade
- Nicky Cross
- Matty Fryatt
- Steve Claridge
- Wayne Clarke
- Peter Eastoe
- Graham Fenton
- Julian Joachim
- David Kelly
- Tommy Wright