Former Manchester United goalkeeper Lee Grant has been appointed as Walsall’s new head coach on a three-year deal.Grant replaces interim boss Darren Byfield at the Bescot Stadium with Mat Sadler the previous permanent manager of Walsall.Grant has been named Walsall head coach on a three-year dealGettyThe 43-year-old started last season in charge of Huddersfield Town but was sacked in January after eight months in the dugout.He has now been tasked with ending Walsall’s eight-year stay in League Two next season.Grant appointed Walsall bossReflecting on his appointment, Grant told the club’s media channels: “I’m super delighted and proud to be the new head coach of Walsall Football Club.“It’s been an extensive process and one that’s been ongoing for the last couple of weeks and the focus on the conversations that I’ve had with the hierarchy at the club is on the alignment of where we want this club to be and the vision is shared across the board so that was really pleasing for me.“I feel fortunate to have had the journey that I’ve had, I’ve worked with some top professionals across a long playing career and I’ve had the experiences and exposure in three different leagues with Ipswich Town and Huddersfield Town respectively and these experiences have helped shape me into the coach I am today.“The teams I’ve been involved in have scored lots of goals and there’s been a good development of players and my ideas around that are strong, it’s going to be a busy period for myself and the club but I’m really excited to get going, help the football club progress and I very much look forward to getting to work.”Grant began his coaching career as an assistant to Kieran McKenna at Ipswich Town before taking over at Huddersfield last summer.Walsall are fresh from finishing 13th in League Two after an underwhelming end to the campaign.The Saddlers had been top of the table at Christmas before falling out of promotion contention.They ended the campaign with just one win in their last 13 home league matches after manager Sadler was sacked in March.Grant has been given the task of taking Walsall out of League Two next seasonPAGrant’s career so farAs for Grant, he retired aged 39 in 2022 following four years at Manchester United.During his time at Old Trafford, the stopper made just two first-team appearances.He was part of the squad which reached the final of the Europa League in 2021, though.However, Grant enjoyed an impressive career in the Football League before his move to the Red Devils.Across spells with Sheffield Wednesday, Burnley, Derby County and Oldham Athletic, he made 372 EFL appearances.Grant also featured 31 times for Stoke City in the Premier League between 2016 and 2018.Grant ended his playing career with United in 2022GettyThe former England under-21 international has already tasted promotion as a coach after Ipswich reached the Premier League two years ago.Another promotion next term would see Walsall return to League One for the first time since suffering relegation in 2019.