The Saddlers travel to The Hive, in that there London, for the first game against the Bees since 2007.
The Opposition
After a spell in non-League, Barnet were champions of the National League last season, earning their place back in amongst the 92.
Coach Dean Brennan will be looking to cement their place in League Two and avoid an immediate return to non-League.
Ex-Saddlers Emmanuel Osadebe (midfielder) and Owen Evans (goalkeeper) both signed at the start of the season. With 10 further signings the Bees have a high squad turnover from last season. Of these, players to look out for are several midfield signings (Scott High-Huddersfield, Dennis Adeniran-St. Mirren, Nnamdi Ofoborh-Swindon Town) and centre forward Oliver Hawkins from Gillingham. Loan signings are Joe Hugill (forward from Man Utd) and Cieran Slicker (goalkeeper from Ipswich Town).
The Proposition
With both teams on 2 game losing runs they’ll be looking to get a win.
Walsall with a solid, but ultimately disappointing result against Stoke City in the League Cup, will welcome back many of the first team starters that were on the bench for that game. Brandon Comley returned from his suspension and had an improved performance in midfield. The Walsall strikeforce will want to get off the mark after failing to hit the target against both Stoke and Gillingham. Will Aaron Pressley return after being missing from the squad for Stoke? Or will Mat Sadler persist with Uncle Albert up front against his former club?
In contrast Barnet sit bottom of League Two after 2 consecutive losses against Fleetwood Town and Bromley, conceding 4 goals in the process and scoring 0 themselves. Owen Evans having a nightmare against Fleetwood after being dispossessed of the ball when trying to clear, and conceding a comedy goal, was dropped for the Bromley game. Will he return against his ex-club or will loanee Cieran Slicker carry on in goal?
The First Time
The first meeting between the sides, was in League Division Four on the 5th October 1991, which resulted in a 2-0 home win for Walsall.
The Worst Time
On the 3rd November 1992, Walsall lost away at Barnet, 3-0 in a League Division Three game. The only time we’ve lost to them in 10 meetings.
The Last Time
The Saddlers have not played Barnet competitively for over 18 years with the last game being a 4-1 home win in League Two on 24th February 2007.
Played For Both
Albert Adomah is both a Ghanaian and a British national.
After a spell at Chiswick-based amateur side Old Meadonians as a teenager, Adomah began his career playing semi-professional football with Isthmian League Premier Division club Harrow Borough, while studying Level 2 Decorative Finishing and Industrial Painting at the College of North West London.
Barnet
In January 2008, Adomah joined League Two side Barnet with Barnet agreeing to play Harrow in a pre-season friendly.
He scored on his Football League debut for Barnet in a 2–1 win over Hereford United at Edgar Street on 30 January 2008. He made a total of 22 league appearances in the 2007–08 season, scoring five goals and helping Barnet to a 12th-place finish in League Two. Albert was voted as Barnet’s Young Player of the Year for the 2008–09 season by the Barnet Supporters’ association. He went on to play 120 games for Barnet scoring 20 times.
Bristol City
On 1 July 2010, he agreed to join Bristol City on a three-year deal, with an initial fee of £150,000 being set later by a tribunal. He ended the season top of the club’s assists chart with 12 to his name in all competitions. Adomah was given the Player of the Season award for Bristol City for the 2010–11 campaign, days after agreeing a new three-year contract which would keep him at the club until 2014.
Middlesbrough
On 8 August 2013 Adomah completed a move to Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £1,000,000. Adomah reached the play-off final after a 5–1 aggregate win over Brentford, including Adomah scoring in the semi-final but they lost the decisive match 2–0 to Norwich City at Wembley Stadium in the final. The following season, Adomah earned promotion as Middlesbrough finished runners-up in the EFL Championship. He played 2 games for Middlesbrough in the Premier League during the beginning of August 2016 prior to his move to Villa.
Aston Villa
On 31 August 2016, Adomah signed for Aston Villa on transfer deadline day for an undisclosed fee. During the 2017–18 Aston Villa F.C. season Adomah scored 15 goals, finishing the club’s top scorer, to help Villa secure a play-off place and defeat his old side Middlesbrough in the two semi-finals to reach the final, playing in the final, as Villa lost 1–0 to Fulham in the final and thus missed out on promotion to the Premier League. He was released by Aston Villa at the end of the 2018–19 season.
Nottingham Forest & Cardiff City
On 10 July 2019, Adomah signed a two-year deal with Nottingham Forest but this only lasted till 2 October 2020, when Adomah and Forest mutually agreed to terminate his contract with the club. Adomah joined Cardiff City on a six-month loan deal on 31 January 2020.
Queens Park Rangers
On 5 October 2020, following his departure from Nottingham Forest, Adomah signed for boyhood club Queens Park Rangers on a two-year deal. On 15 January 2022, Adomah played the duration of QPR’s 1–0 top-of-the-table victory against West Bromwich Albion, his 456th appearance in the second tier, making him the record outfield appearance holder in Championship history. He became the record holder with his 525th appearance on 26 April 2024, over-taking Lee Camp.
The Saddlers
On 23 July 2024, Adomah signed a one-year contract with the Saddlers following a successful trial. He scored his first goal in a 4–0 away win against Swindon Town. On 24 June 2025, the club announced he had signed a new one-year contract for the 25/26 season.
International Uncs
Adomah made his international debut when coming on as a substitute for Ghana in their 1–0 defeat against Brazil on 5 September 2011 at Craven Cottage. He broke through the national team to book his place in Ghana’s provisional 26-man squad for the 2013 African Cup of Nations. He was selected and went to 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil where he played in one game for Ghana.
Also:
Alex Nicholls, Emmanuel Osadebe, Dave Barnett, Owen Evans, Bertrand Bossu, Taiwo Atieno, Keith Bertschin, Paul Downing, former Walsall goalkeeping coach Maik Taylor..
I’m sure I’ve missed a few. Comment below if you know anyone else.. 
Lump On
Our overall record against Barnet (W8/D1/L1) is overwhelmingly in our favour and they have lost their first 2 league games, conceding 4 and scoring 0, so are bottom of the table.
Lump Off
The Saddlers have failed to score in open play in their last 2 games, against Gillingham in League Two and Stoke City in the League Cup.
The owl has been able to take a holiday.
Goal Tally (sponsored by Owly McOwlface)
Evan Weir 1
Connor Barrett 1
UTS Match Poll
- Walsall Win
- Draw
- Barnet Win
