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THIS has been a tale of hope that turned into disappointment and then reverted back to hope.
In 1990, a West Midlands club, once the home of Liverpool legend Alan Hansen, said goodbye to their stadium after 94 years because of repeated declines in the football league standings.
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Visitors to the site where it once stood will now encounter a totally different environment – a Morrisons supermarket.
Plans for a new location were initiated after part of a perimeter wall collapsed during a League Cup semi-final against Liverpool in 1984.
Notably, Liverpool’s captain Graeme Souness was involved in the rescue efforts, famously carrying an injured child to safety before the Reds secured a 2-0 win.
By 1989, it was clear that Fellows Park had passed its prime, leading to its demolition in 1991.
Even by the era’s standards, the restroom facilities were infamous.
During storms, the roof on Hillary Street would flap, showering fans with rusty water.
The ground was the home of Walsall, who currently lead League Two and are strong contenders for promotion.
However, in 1990, Walsall had tumbled from the second tier to the fourth tier, finishing bottom of the table in both seasons.
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The Saddlers were one of only seven clubs to experience relegation in both of their final two seasons before moving to a new stadium.
As the last game at Fellows Park concluded, it was clear that Walsall was set to kick off their new path at Bescot in Division Four.
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During their final season at Fellows Park, they parted ways with manager John Barnwell in March and enlisted former Aston Villa striker Gary Shaw to guide them through the final three months, but it was too late to change their course.
Despite its many deficiencies, for around 6,000 devoted Walsall fans, Fellows Park represented home.
Walsall experienced their record attendance when 25,453 spirited fans came to witness them play against Newcastle in the Second Division on August 29, 1961.
The new Bescot Stadium, which opened on August 18, 1990, felt far from opulent in 1989.
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In fact, owner Terry Ramsden was essentially relocating them to a brownfield site beneath the M6.
The current home of Walsall was built in 1989–90 by GMI Construction, with an estimated cost of £4.5 million.
It was officially opened on August 18, 1990, by Sir Stanley Matthews, during a friendly against rivals Aston Villa, which attracted 9,551 fans.
Matthews was the first English player to win the Ballon d’Or in 1956.
However, the move to the Bescot Stadium marked a period of stabilization for the club when Jeff Bonser took control in 1991.
Kenny Hibbitt served as the manager of Walsall for four years, laying the groundwork for a successful era that soon followed after his departure in September 1994.
New coach Chris Nicholl led the club back to the third tier in his first season.
Bonser remained with Walsall until 2019, when the current owner Leigh Pomlett acquired his 76% majority stake.
In a twist, in 2024, the stadium was rebranded as the ‘Poundland Bescot Stadium’ for sponsorship reasons.
A reminder of Fellows Park can still be seen in the name of the H.L. Fellows Stand.
Harry Leslie Fellows served as a club director during the 1930s.
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