Walsall Football Club Chief-Executive Stefan Gamble has spoken to the press ahead of Sunday's Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final between Walsall and Bristol CIty, and has discussed his attempts to get club Chairman Jeff Bonser to end his exile, and begin watching matches at the Banks's Stadium.
Speaking to the Express & Star, Stefan said;“I have tried many times over the years. He is very principled and that is his choice. He goes to quite a few of the away games and he will be at Wembley.
“The chairman supports the club as he feels best. It is a shame, very much so. I can’t put words in his mouth, but I think he feels his presence will take focus away from the team. I think he feels the focus should be on the team and what is on the pitch.
"He is still very active. He is here five days a week, comes in every day and is at the training ground. He is fully behind the club, it is just his personal choice to come to the stadium on a match day.
“He is a sounding board for me and is very supportive of everyone at the club, whether it is from the receptionist, the manager, right up to the chief executive.
“Certainly I think the chairman and the board have been very united behind the way the club is going forward.
“We have never ever deviated from that, we feel it is the right way to go. Season on season we are seeing improvements, even if they are not always apparent to the outside world.
“We can see the club has moved on a long way in a relatively short space of time. If we could get a trophy at Wembley that would be the icing on the cake.”