The 2013-14 campaign for Walsall was a season of soaring ambition and eventual heartbreak for The Saddlers. After losing their key attacking trio in the summer, the team, led by manager Dean Smith and anchored by the relentless form of veteran forward Craig Westcarr, defied expectations to spend the first half of the season challenging for a coveted playoff spot. Westcarr's 14 crucial league goals proved vital in a campaign built on the grit that delivered a stunning 1-0 victory over fierce rivals Wolves at Molineux. However, despite their promise and a dominant 5-1 away win at Notts County, a 'disastrous' run of just two wins in the final 18 games saw the playoff dream spectacularly burn out, leading to a final mid-table finish in 13th, but not before they had offered the Bescot Stadium faithful a tantalising glimpse of a return to former glory.