Departing striker Tommy Mooney has criticised Walsall for not taking advantage of a "fantastic" chance to achieve promotion this season.The 36-year-old, who is leaving the club to play in Spain, was frustrated towards the end of the campaign after injuries and a threadbare, and mainly inexperienced, squad failed to reach the play-offs.

"It is a missed opportunity and a fantastic chance to get into the Championship, but it has gone," Mooney told BBC West Midlands.

"I think it will be a while before they get that opportunity again. It is not a coincidence that the clubs that got promoted have the biggest budgets."

When announcing his intention to leave the Saddlers last month, Mooney said that dressing room spirit had been badly hit by the sale of Scott Dann and Dan Fox to Coventry in January.

He added: "We came very, very close. I understand that your best players have to go on and improve their careers, but it was to the detriment of our team."

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