Ahead of Saturday afternoon's Sky Bet League One fixture against Peterborough United, Walsall manager Dean Smith has spoken to the press about Player/Coach Dean Holden's move to Oldham Athletic, and has discussed how he came to a similar decision early in his coaching career.
Speaking to the Walsall Advertiser, Smith said; “I wanted it to be his decision, not mine. I was in a similar situation myself, still playing at Port Vale and got offered the youth team job at Orient.
“I took the decision to hang my boots up because I wanted to get on the rung of the ladder of coaching and not many opportunities come around.
“There are only so many assistant managers and youth team jobs and first team managers’ jobs available. Dean could finish the season and not have a job to go to.
“We are saddened to lose him because he was a really good character to have around.
“He will be a big loss for us, we told him that, but life moves on. We wish him well because he’s a really good lad and a really good person to have about and he’ll be missed.”
SOURCE THE WALSALL ADVERTISER