Walsall's Adomah joins the 800 club - at 38

Not too many players reach 800 games in their career but they generally have one thing in common when they do - they are team players who do not like to talk about it.

Take modest Albert Adomah, the James Milner of the lower divisions, who reached that 800-game landmark with Walsall in Saturday's 2-0 home win over Port Vale.

Victory took Lee Grant's Saddlers second in League Two, behind leaders Barnet, which is where it all began for Adomah in January 2008.

All the 38-year-old really wants to talk about is the quality of Andy Dallas' clinching second goal - and the fact that Walsall are again going so well in League Two, after two successive failed promotion bids.

"I'm just grateful that the manager made it possible by still having me on the bench and is still using me," Adomah told BBC Radio WM.

Saturday's appearance was his fifth of the campaign, four of which have come from the bench - but the London-born Ghana international, who played at the 2014 World Cup, remains humble especially with regard to his long-term plans.

"What is my next target? 801 games," he said. "That is the next landmark.

"I really just take it one game by game. It's about the team first - and me staying fit enough to get as many minutes as possible.

"My job is just to stay available - and hopefully long may this journey continue."

It is an attitude that has done him credit ever since being given his Barnet debut by Paul Fairclough at Hereford's Edgar Street in January 2008.

"I remember that first game vividly. Hereford United v Barnet. Also in League Two. And I scored."

It was the first of 99 league goals he has scored in his overall tally of 109 - one target he might have on his radar.

Now, almost 19 years on, he is playing under new Walsall boss Grant - and there have been 20 others in between.

Ian Hendon and Mark Stimson in three seasons at Barnet before being signed by Bristol City.

He played just twice under Steve Coppell, who left after two games in August 2010 - and he then played under three more bosses at Ashton Gate - Keith Millen, current Rangers boss Derek McInnes and Sean O'Driscoll.

There were two more at Middlesbrough, where he was signed by Tony Mowbray, and then played under Aitor Karanka.

It was also at Boro where he made his only two Premier League appearances before returning to the Championship to be signed by Aston Villa, for whom he was signed by Roberto Di Matteo before also playing for Steve Bruce and Dean Smith.

This time he left without kicking another ball in the top flight for more Championship football with Nottingham Forest under Sabri Lamouchi, including a nine-game loan spell under Neil Harris at Cardiff City.

After leaving Forest on the same day as Lamouchi during the Covid pandemic in October 2020, that brought him four more years in the Championship under Mark Warburton at QPR - followed by four more Rs bosses - Michael Beale, Neil Critchley, Gareth Ainsworth and Marti Cifuentes.

Then it was back to League Two to sign for Mat Sadler at Walsall, where he also worked under Darren Byfield and Grant.

A total of 800 games - none of them in League One or the National League.

Tiers two and four only, except for those couple of Premier League games for Boro.

And still he gets excited by it all - showing he still has a role to play, having even had a part in Saturday's late second goal - a pre-assist in a goal fashioned by all three Walsall substitutes.

"It was just a nice combination-play down the right between Chas (Crew) and myself - and a wonderful finish by Dallo. He took it really well. Once it left his foot you could see it flying in.

"But really it's just amazing to win. And in front of our supporters too. Just like I did in that first game for Barnet."

(Substitute appearances in brackets) - a total of 800 games & 109 goals