Good shout, that’s who I was thinking of. I think he went to Watford soon after.
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Indeed. Two spells at Watford and later Villa. Played in those 3 FA Cup ties for Watford against Saddlers in 86-7
So he played four cup ties against us and only won one? He must have been rubbish! 
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Just out of interest… Do you know what the attendance was for that last ever game at fellows park ?
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5697 which was a couple of thousand or so more than we’d been getting.
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Went all season the only game I really remember . The rest was just dire .
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Just a few days later was the Peter Hart testimonial game v. WBA. Just 2,153 turned out for that and that was boosted by several hundred Albion fans. Seemed a shame to me at the time that such a popular and dependable player didn’t have more turn out and it was the final ever time to see a Walsall side turn out at Fellows Park.
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I would have been there but unfortunately that was another one I missed by being in hospital! Went against Rotherham, then to the utter mauling in our last away game at Bristol City (we were already down, and I was glow-in-the-dark yellow but didn’t put me off). I did ask if they’d let me sign myself for the evening to go but nobody would bring me my clothes. 
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Great picture, not seen that before.
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The whole end of Fellows Park was horrible. That last game against Rotherham was just ■■■■, and the Hart testimonial. To think just two years before we were getting 12-13 k against Notts and Bristol City, I found it heartbreaking, 5k for the last game it was literally pathetic with a capital A. No wonder those that shafted us got away with what they did. No Buckley for the parade of players at the last game either, either he wasn’t invited or he declined, either way said it all for me.
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Glad I am able to say I was there for both the Rotherham game, and Hart’s testimonial. Never realised at the time how much I would come to miss the place.
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@geordiesaddler The Buck was at a Centenary dinner in 1988 at Walsall Town Hall and was Grimsby manager in 89-90. Just checked and they didn’t have a game the night of our Rotherham game so could have attended. Its a shame he couldn’t have been there after the 13 years in total he’s spent as player and manager at FP.
Like I say it struck me. The bloke was arguabley one of our best managers, scored what 205 goals? and made 400+ apps. There must have been some bad blood with the likes of him and Whalley et al is all I can think. For anyone who watched us in the 70s and 80s it was all about Buckley, a 5 foot 6 man that left his stamp all over Walsall fc. For him not to be there that night against Rotherham for me made the whole thing a sham.
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Remember Buckley taking free kicks and scoring from the edge of the box which usually end up over the bar with today’s top players. Probably due to the ball. He was indeed at the Centenary dinner and had a chat with him and our other record scorer Tony Richards and have my menu signed by them both.
I completely agree Geordie. Remember us playing Blues either that season or the season before and Buckley saying he wanted Blues to win because Gary Pendry was in charge at Blues. An absolute dagger to the heart. But we’d shat on him and I think he was articulating his complete disconnect with our new broom.
The Rotherham game was just sad. A few ex players and a thousand extra punters and a lame auld Lang syne. Really? I’d seen most games in the previous three seasons, protested our move and that last game was hollow. Beyond hollow it was a vacuum within a vacuum.
I don’t hate the Bescot. But I don’t like it either. Meh.
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I think this must be the chap I used to speak to via a message board , I think on the Saddlers website. Also spoke to him a few times at the ground.
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I was there too…feeling sad both at the loss of the ground and the state of the Club. Part of me was also looking forward to the new ground and within 5 years things were looking up and we had a number of good players over the following decade before our slow decline started and we ended up where we are today. All part of following a lower division Club I suppose.
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Buckley was Walsall through and through, if anyone deserved legendary status it was him.
I remember him scoring a hat-trick on his debut, I knew then we had quite a player on our hands.
He’s one of all-time hero’s!
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In one memorable spell between 13 Feb and 20 March 1976 Buck scored hat tricks in 3 out of 4 home games starting with 4 in a 5-1 win over Rotherham then 3 in a 4-0 win over bogey team Gillingham and 3 in a 4-1 win over Aldershot. In between the last two was a 1-1 home draw v Colchester. Without getting in my loft I’m not sure who scored in that game. Think he got 34 that season.
Stay out of your loft! George Andrews got the goal against Colchester. 
The Buck scored 14 goals in 6 home games, because as well as the hat tricks you mention, he notched braces against PNE and Cardiff. Yes, he was OK I suppose. 
He did get 34 in the League, I remember it was a battle between The Buck, Ronnie Moore (Tranmere) and Dixie McNeil (Hereford, who went up) to finish top of the scoring charts. Not sure who did in the end, I think it might have been Dixie.
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