Walsall will be going into this weekend’s home fixture with Southend United with history beckoning (although, hopefully, not on the players’ minds) as the Saddlers try to make it a record eight league victories on the trot.

Buoyed by an excellent win on Tuesday against the bookies’ favourites for promotion, “We’re Too Big For This Division” Forest, a home game against newly promoted Southend ought to be exactly what the doctor ordered, but, after losing their opening game at home to Port Fail, they too had a morale boosting win in the week, away at fancied Bradford City.

Southend are looking for a season of consolidation in this Division after their promotion last season, but have already shown their ambition with one close season signing, that of Shaun “The Goat” Goater. The ex Manchester City legend was declared surplus to requirements at Reading (mainly because of his advancing years), but it was a bit of a shock when he was snapped up by the Roots Hall outfit. He suffered a calf strain pre-season and may be fit enough for the bench. Their main danger man, however, is likely to be ex Gray’s striker Freddy Eastwood, who got 15 in 29 League starts last season.

Other names you may recognise in the Shrimper’s squad are ex Derby, Leicester, Manchester City and Cardiff defender Spencer Prior (back where he started his career), former Blues (amongst many others) keeper Bart Griemink and former Saints’ keeper, Darryl Flahaven. Prior was forced out of the Bradford game with an injury he’d picked up against Vale, to be replaced by experienced defender Andy Edwards, who once cost Blues £400,000, (but it was Barry Fry who bought him!) and there is no indication yet as to whether he will be fit or not.

As for the Saddlers, we should be virtually at full strength, with Stan Staunton now having completed his suspension, Ian Roper back from injury in the Redditch friendly in the week and Smith also having completed some time on the pitch in the same game. Standing was taken off at half time on Tuesday with a slight strain, so may not figure.

It’s difficult to see Merson changing much from the team which performed so well in the second half on Tuesday:

Oakes, Pead, Westwood, Bennett, Fox, Wright, Osborn, Taylor, Wrack, Leitao, Fryatt

but he has also said that he does intend to keep making changes during the course of the season, making full use of his squad and keeping things fresh, (and, incidently, making things as hard as possible for me!), so, really, anything could happen on the selection front.

Result? If Merson’s got them drilled, with no complacency and no butterflies about breaking records, this has to be a home win and a new entry in the record books. Southend must have something about them, with their win in the week, but it was against ten men and confidence has to be sky high in the Saddlers’ camp. I’ll go 3 - 1.