Fearless Williams had to 'listen to the doctor'

Until his head injury, Harry Williams had not missed a minute of action since making his first league start of the season in early September

Walsall defender Harry Williams has been singled out by manager Mat Sadler as a "fearless" operator in this season's march to the top of the League Two table.

But even Williams admits he had to be held back when he suffered a nasty head injury at the start of November and was stood down for four games.

The 22-year-old former West Bromwich Albion academy centre-back suffered a seizure following the concussion he suffered in the 2-1 FA Cup first-round win over Bolton Wanderers on 2 November - and then did not return until the second-round 4-0 home defeat by Charlton Athletic.

Sadler was anxious not to rush him back until they were certain he was ready - and Williams reluctantly agreed it was the right approach.

"I've had concussions before, but this was a nasty one," Williams told BBC Radio WM. "So we had to take our time.

"I was knocked out and I had a seizure. I had to listen to the doctor and the physios to make sure I was right to come back.

"I'm a no-nonsense type of player who likes to get his body in the way. That doubt was never there but it was a case of coming back into it and making sure I was all right with the pace. You have a couple of weeks off and you risk losing that sharpness."

Harry Williams arrived at Bescot from non-league Alvechurch in June 2023

That heavy cup exit to Charlton was the second time the Saddlers have been beaten by four goals on home soil this season, having lost 6-2 to Charlie Adam's Fleetwood in early October.

They responded to that slip-up by going on a nine-game unbeaten run leading into the Charlton game - and they have so far bounced back from that defeat with three straight league wins and another victory over Reading, albeit on penalties, in the Vertu Trophy.

Coupled with previous leaders Port Vale having not won now in four games, including their 1-0 home defeat by Walsall, it has left the Saddlers four points clear going into the festive fixtures.

They already know they will be top at Christmas, no matter what happens at Harrogate on Saturday, they are now seven points clear of fourth place - and have kept more clean sheets this season then the whole of 2023-24.

"That is massive," said Williams, who Walsall took from non-league Alvechurch just 18 months ago. "Keep a clean sheet and you're getting a result.

"Having lost to Charlton, it's been a great reaction from us in the four games since.

"Going into Christmas being top of the league is testament to ourselves. It's nice position to be in but it's a busy period of games coming up."

Walsall's Harry Williams was talking to BBC Radio WM's Daz Hale