“We’re all going on a Summer Holiday . . . .” as Cliff might have had it - but not just yet. There’s some unfinished business in the shape of the poorest team in the Division – Stockport County. Yes, due to me being very busy on Friday, the match preview is a day early.
It promises to be a relaxing day at Bescot on Saturday, with the showing off of the new strip, Neil Emblen saying his goodbyes as he leaves for New Zealand, the presentation of the player of the season award to Matt Fryatt and, hopefully, five wins on the bounce and a hat full of goals.
Player-Manager Paul Merson does have some choices to make on Saturday, however. For the first time in some weeks, he will not be able to play the same team, with the departure of Andrew Surman back to Southampton and the possible absence of the injured Julian Joachim. He’ll have two choices. Keep the same (successful) formation, which would most likely see either himself, Kris Taylor or Kinsella replacing Surman and Fryatt replacing Joachim, if necessary, or he can make wholesale changes for a game that means nothing now. It’s more than likely he’ll want to send the fans away on a high, although there is some sense in throwing some of the fringe players in to see how they perform. The game could also be an opportunity to see if an alternative formation might work and a 4 4 2 is also possible.
So what about Stockport? With a mere 26 points from 45 games and only 49 goals scored, giving them a goal difference of a staggering – 49, they are, deservedly, well bottom of the Division. Their away record is won three and drawn four out of 22 games, coincidentally exactly the same as their home record from one game more. Their recent form is at Home LLLLL and Away DLLLL and their current top scorer (players still at the club) is youngster Adam Le Fondre, with 4 goals. They are truly bad, are having to throw youngsters in at the deep end and should be lambs to the slaughter, should the Saddlers be taking this game seriously. That certainly appears to be the attitude amongst the Walsall squad, judging by Simon Osborn’s interview on SaddlersWorld, where he is talking about the need to finish on a high and send the players and fans away happy for the Summer. Interestingly, it looks from the same interview that he will be signing a new contract sooner, rather than later.
Predictions? Assuming the players haven’t already left for their holidays mentally and the fitness of Joachim, I can’t see anything other than a rout. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a 4 or 5 – 0 to the Saddlers, which, of course, means that it’ll be 1 – 0 to Stockport, with former Walsall striker Marvin Robinson getting the last minute winner – and yes, I am joking.
One thing we should congratulate Stockport for, however, on a serious note. Because of their financial problems, they will be “taken over” by their Supporter’s Trust as of July 1st. As the economic situation in football worsens, this could well be a model for a good many other clubs as they sink into financial difficulties and will ensure the club remains in the hands of people who care about it.
