Life-long Walsall fan dies 24 hours before league one play-offs

Jake Martin died before he saw his team play this evening Credit: BPM Media

A life-long Walsall FC fan has died suddenly at just 22 the day before his team played in the promotion play-offs.

Jake Martin, a former Saddlers steward, succumbed to a short illness last Friday.

He died just 24 hours before Walsall played Barnsley in the first leg of the League One play-offs.

The Saddlers lost 3-0 and fans urged the team to mount an unlikely fightback in Thursday night’s second leg in Jake’s memory.

Paying tribute on Facebook, Walsall said he died at the town’s Manor Hospital.

The club said Jake attended college locally and worked at the Village Hotel, near junction ten of the M6.

He last watched his team in a 5-0 win over Port Vale on the last day of the regular League One season on May 8.

Jake’s younger sister Jessica, from Walsall, posted a tribute saying Jake would now never meet his baby nephew.

Tributes were also paid by friends, family and fans of other football clubs.