Walsall’s largest following since the war take to the roads, trains, planes and the internet on Sunday for the play-off final against Reading. This message board has been buzzing all week - and it seems Saddlers from all around the country are descending on Cardiff. Let’s look ahead to the game.
Sir Ray has only one injury worry - Fitzroy Simpson, who has impressed since his arrival in March. Dean Keates will come in if Fitz fails to make it. I predict his starting line-up will be the traditional 4-4-2 that’s served him so well in his 3 years in charge at Bescot - and that team will be: Walker, Brightwell, Tillson, Barras, Aranalde, Hall, Bennett, Simpson/Keates, Matias, Leitao, Goodman.
Reading are likely to line up: Whitehead, Murty, Williams, Viveash, Newman, Igoe, Parkinson, Caskey, McIntyre, Cureton, Butler.
The match will centre on how the respective defences handle the strike power both sides enjoy. In Cureton and Butler Reading have more than 50 goals between them - but in both games against Saddlers this season Butler was strangely subdued. Conversely Don Goodman gave the Royals pairing a shaky time in the 2-2 draw at Reading last month - although Reading veteran Adie Williams missed that game and knows Goodman from old during their time at Wolves together.
My money is on a cracking game - with an early goal. The man in the Evening Standard betting column reckons Walsall are great value at 7-4 as “they play it into feet” which Reading don’t like. Let’s hope he’s right - if so they’ll be one helluva party from Cardiff to Bescot come Sunday night.