Birmingham City whizz kid George Hall will play for Walsall in their League Two play-off final against AFC Wimbledon on Monday
The two seismic moments in George Hall’s fledgling career have come almost exactly two years apart.
In 2023, as a supremely talented 18-year-old, Hall had a bunch of Premier League clubs trying to lure him away from Birmingham City when he was crowned the club’s Young Player of the Year after excelling in 30 games in the Championship under John Eustace.
Fast-forward two years and Hall is about to play the biggest game of his career – albeit at a level beneath his ability – in the League Two play-off final at Wembley.
A talent forgotten by some due to a truly awful run of hamstring injuries will have his day in the sun. But it won’t be for boyhood club Blues, it will be for loan club Walsall with whom Hall has rediscovered his confidence and belief in his body.
“At the start of the season, I’d had a lot of injuries last year so I wasn’t fully confident and going 100 percent,” Hall says frankly from Walsall’s training base in Essington.
“My confidence grew with work on the training pitch more than anything, trusting myself and going all out in training, then I started playing better and getting my chances in games and showing what I can do.”
Mat Sadler, the former Blues defender turned Walsall head coach, has been crucial for Hall.
He knew Hall was fragile when Walsall signed him after a season in which he played just 179 minutes due to injuries.
“He’s given me confidence throughout and allowed me to grow into the team. He didn’t rush me back,” adds Hall.
“I obviously really wanted to play but it was the smart thing to ease me back in. He knew there would be a lot of important games so not starting every game wouldn’t be the end of the world. He assured me I would still get my chance and be an important part.”
And Hall became an important part of Walsall’s story by December, forcing his way into the starting XI and helping the Saddlers to back-to-back wins over promotion rivals Notts County and Port Vale.
Then it happened again. Hamstrung. Hall returned to Blues and underwent surgery that ruled him out until late March. By this point, Walsall – who were top of League Two when Hall got injured – were slipping down the table.
“I have done a lot of different stuff this time because it was a different area. The way I did the last hamstring was a bit of a random one, it wasn’t due to anything and I couldn’t have done much about it,” Hall explains.
“I try to do everything right, always. I have to continue doing the right things. If I’m doing the right thing and still getting injured, it’s easy to say ‘I’m just going to do whatever now’ but that was the big thing for me, just to carry on doing the right things and believing in my body. I knew when I came back there would be an opportunity for me.”
We don’t see the mental effect of an injury, particularly a recurring one like this to a young player at the formation of his career. Hall felt like his career had stalled.
“It’s quite tough. You see players your age pushing on and going to the next level, whereas I feel like I’ve been held back through injuries.
“I have good people around me, friends and family, to keep me going and doing the right things.
“Going out on loan, the gaffer knew my situation and what I had been through. The people around me have helped me get through the tough times.”
Hall’s return to fitness came at the perfect time for Walsall. Again Sadler eased him in but the 20-year-old is now thriving as one of two number tens in a dynamic 3-4-3 system.
In the second leg of the semi-final against Chesterfield, Hall left a series of opponents in his wake with a 60-yard sprint to put one on a plate for teammate Levi Amantchi.
He looked like the player of two years ago again.
“I’ve put the past in the past and looked forward,” said Hall. “It’s taken me a few games after surgery, but I have confidence in myself and I’m trying to give back to everyone who has believed in me.”
A day at Wembley is the reward at the end of a painful road for Hall.
“That is going to be a massive thing for me and my family. They have seen what I’ve been through and I’ll be glad to see them happy and smiling, knowing that I’m enjoying football and playing freely.”
