As had been rumoured on the message boards on this site for some weeks now, the club have announced that Jorge Leitao will be leaving in January, to return to Portugal.

Jorge has become something of a legend amongst Walsall fans, since becoming our last “big money” signing in August 2000. The talented centre forward had taken time out from the game to complete his University degree and was brought in on trial on our pre season tour. He was taken off before anyone from any other club could identify him after scoring two first half goals and was quickly signed up.

Jorge’s all action, no nonsense style soon endeared him to fans and he was an integral member of the side which gained promotion and he has himself said that the day at Cardiff is one of the high spots of his career.

He did have some ups and downs in his time at the club, such as when having a lean time in the Championship (sic) under Ray Graydon, but was re-instated by Colin Lee for the Managers first game in charge away at Charlton in the Cup and duly obliged by scoring two superb goals and combining superbly with Byfield on the day to write another glorious chapter to his Walsall career. His most consistent high spot, however, was the wonderful, almost telepathic, understanding he achieved with his fellow Portuguese speaker, Brazilian Junior.

He has played an extremely credible 258 games for the Saddlers in his time at the club, scoring 71 goals and became, almost certainly, the most successful of our foreign imports and one who will be extremely difficult to replace.

Jorge’s final game, appropriately in view of the comments I made about the Charlton game being one of his finest hours, will be the FA Cup Third Round tie at Barnsley. He will then return to Portugal to play for Beira Mar.

Good luck Jorge, we will all miss you.