It’s going to be an odd atmosphere at Bescot on Saturday. It ought to be a warm welcome back to a team on top of the League, following four points from two tricky away games. It’ll all be a little different than that, though because of a man who played for both teams – Matt Gadsby.

Most Saddlers fans will remember Matt as a promising youth player who made his way up through the reserves, then made 27 first team appearances and 20 substitute appearances, all without quite making the grade. He was a solid enough defender, and played his part in the famous play off win against Reading, supplying the pass from which Byfield hit home the winner.

After being released by Colin Lee, however, he also made 15 full appearances and 7 as sub for Saturday’s opponents, before moving on to the non-League scene.

A week today (Thursday), however, will see the funeral of this, by all accounts, likable young man. Just under three weeks ago, while playing for Hinckley, he collapsed and died on the pitch.

Of course, fans from both sides will be doing something to help boost the fund that has been set up to support Matt’s wife Sarah and his daughter Milly. Buckets will be at Bescot for contributions to be made and a bunch of Mansfield fans will doing a sponsored cycle ride to the game. In the usual way, players from all over have donated shirts and memorabilia to be auctioned or raffled off (notably by Dean Keates, who came up through the ranks with Matthew).

In view of the fact that it will be just a handful of days before the funeral, let’s all make a contribution for the cause and let’s also not forget that, when Bill Shankly made his “football’s not a matter of life and death, it’s far more important than that” comment, he was, of course, speaking complete nonsense.

Matthew Gadsby, 6th September 1979 to 9th September 2006. Rest In Peace.