I remember being in Rhyl with some of my saddler mates when it filtered through that he had buggered off to Kuwait 
Yes, prison officer, and is part of a list including Bill Moore, John Smith, Jon Witney, Brian Dutton, Neil Martin, Tommy Coakley, Small Person and Dean Keates who have managed nobody but Walsall at league level. A couple of them have the chance to change that, Keatesy being most likely.
1 Like
Walsall FC…destroying the careers of football managers for 50 years…you’ve got to laugh.
Surprised nobody wanted Doug, you’d have thought another lower league team or top end non-league would have given him a go with his CV.
1 Like
Its the Walsall way 
Still got the 'tache.
I wonder if the picture was an anniversary of the '68 cup winners, perhaps.
I guess that, back then, with football management not being as lucrative as it is now, perhaps he decided to pursue better options for a more stable job?
Similarly, nowadays, we see so many footballers retire from playing but looking to continue in the game. Back then, it didn’t seem to happen so often. More money was to be made in “normal” jobs.
And his teeth!! Fair play to him, looks great for his age.
Good job he got out when he did!
Quite possibly. Ive read in recent interviews that the players who played under him at Walsall recalled that he didn’t do much on tactics at all. He let Mick Kearns organise the defence and told them basically to go out and play and express themselves. After Buckley was shackled a bit under Ronnie Allen who in many games played him in a more midfield role he was simply told by Doug to play as a striker and get goals. Which of course he did. Fast forward to the modern era where players have so much information told them before games to take on board. Happy days.
1 Like
In defence of Dougie, I think it was Dave Mackay who legged it … happy to be corrected. Dougie just got sacked
2 Likes
Oh ye 
it should have been under Geordies post lol
1 Like
Them were the good old days. I’d give anything to have them back
2 Likes
Me too mate, but alas i don’t think we ever will, it was ALL about the football then not the business
3 Likes
People were asking the question about whether football was a sport or a business even then- I can vaguely remember an article with such a title in one of those newspaper programmes mentioned above. I doubt if there’s ever been a time people thought it was all about the football.
2 Likes
Yes, the football was entertaining at Walsall. Buckley, obviously, but we also had the likes of Dennehy and Birch, and few things were better than watching George Andrews soar and hang before heading the ball. And we always had full backs who could play, Taylor, Fry, Caswell, Harrison. Alun Evans was Mr Inconsistent, but when he was on song he was so skillful.
Happy Days, as you say.
4 Likes
If genetic cloning allowed it, a cross between Mark Rees and Willie Naughton would have created the best winger ever. Better than Stanley Matthews!
Naughton was possibly the most skilful player I’ve ever seen in a Walsall shirt. His problem was that he had to beat his man three times - and often did. Rees was possibly the quickest. Like a hare.
Willark Reeston- what a player!
6 Likes
Have we had a quicker player than Rees? Quite a few have been very quick but Rees in full flow was spectacular. I would say we haven’t had a player who looked faster than Rees, he was a beast when he reached top gear.
4 Likes
In a straight race I doubt it. But then others may have been going similar speeds but not looked it. Someone like Matt Carbon would have been quick.
1 Like
Reesy had to used properly. He wasn’t as good given the ball to feet. He needed something to run on to, preferablyinside his full back… He was at his best with the likes of Preece,Childs etc who knew this.
1 Like