The area around Selhurst Park offers a multitude of options pub wise, indeed the pre-match drink is normally the highlight of the trip bearing in mind our total lack of success on this ground. The pubs can be broadly split into three areas around the three stations that serve the ground. I reckon the majority of train travellers will be those Saddlers based in the South East and they are meeting in the Wetherspoons near Thornton Heath station so I’ll concentrate on the ones between Thornton Heath and the ground, the latter of which are also handy for car travellers parking up near the ground, and are the ones most frequented by away fans.

Heading away from Wetherspoons towards the ground (which I certainly would be if I was going), you will come across the Prince of Wales on the left hand side. Personally I would continue on to the Railway Telegraph which is an excellent Young’s pub. I don’t conform to the conventional wisdom that all London beer is dishwater, you can’t beat a good pint of Young’s “special”. This pub along with the Prince George, (heading closer to the ground) always have a good selection of real ales and are very welcoming. The Prince George is on the corner of Whitehorse Road and is a typical London style Corner pub, and one that is accessible for car travellers parked up near the ground. One can easily lurk in here until about 10 minutes to kick-off watching the big screen in an attempt to mentally block out the pain of inevitable defeat that awaits later in the day.

On the other side of the ground, basically on the approach to the home end there is another cavernous real ale corner bar called the Clifton Arms. I’ve only ever been in here after the match due to the door policy on away fans, (and that was against Franchise) . This is a shame because it’s an excellent boozer, with real ale again pride of place. The door policy is mainly to restrict the clientele to Palace season ticket holders only, which is fair enough given the proximity to the ground and the support they attract.
However, they inform it will be more relaxed tomorrow with a small crowd anticipated, but strictly no colours whatsoever or you will be refused. Probably one for anyone getting there early or meeting Palace supporting mates.

Walsall Player Manager Paul Merson was certainly pleased with the point, following the Saddlers’ 1 – 1 draw on Saturday.

“It was always going to be a tough game,” Merson said. “And that’s how it turned out.
We worked like Trojans when we had to defend in the second half, and we played some neat stuff when we were on top in the first.
When we scored, I just knew it would be Chris Westwood. When he goes up for corners, he goes up with the intention of scoring and from where I was, you could see him getting on the end of that one.”

‘Pools Manager Martin Scott certainly agreed about Chris Westwood.

“Chris Westwood scored a good goal against his old mates, but it was great to see him taking it calmly and not getting too excited about it. He’s a great professional and we all wish him well.”

Scott admitted that his team were off the pace in the first half and was glad they picked up in the second.

“The commitment was great, and we might even have won it. But our first-half performance was poor. We have to learn to start games at a faster pace.

This was more like a testimonial than a game with points at stake in the first half,” he added. “But we said a few things at half-time and things got a lot better.

The midfield was again the main talking point for the Saddlers, with changes having been made again, Osborn and Smith starting. Booster Cogburn summed up the performance of the midfield five and most fans seemed to agree with him!

“Smith: Steady if unspectacular. Strong in the tackle and neat with his passing. I’ve seen enough to suggest that he will prove to be a useful acquisition.

Osborn: Was very tidy again. Shame he couldn’t have been this player for the first part of last season.

Jorge: Hardly had much of a kick all game. He is no slouch but I suggest that Wrighty would cause more damage out on the right with his turn of speed, particularly in away games with the opposition full back looking to push on. Jorge is better at tracking back though maybe.

Taylor: Again tidy if unspectacular. Nothing very creative and Standing looked more dangerous when he replaced him.

Wrack: Not the player he was I’m afraid. Hardly ever gives the ball away but seems scared to take players on which leaves us wanting because we look to him to open things up. Perhaps he is being told to play more of a holding role, in which case I apologise to him, but either way we are not getting the best from him”.

It might be a case of the unstoppable meeting the unmovable this weekend as Walsall aim for their tenth game unbeaten and Hartlepool their third, while seeking revenge for their 3 – 1 home defeat at the back end of last season.

The Saddlers look like being at full strength, with Vice Captain Michael Standing having recovered from hi s groin injury, so only Daryl Taylor will be missing through injury. What constitutes full strength seems to be the only problem. Merson said in the build up to the game on the official site that he will pick certain players to face certain teams and situations, so changes from the line up against Southend seem to be inevitable.

The OS does say that skipper Chris Westwood will be in the heart of the defence, so Steve Staunton, Julian Bennett, Anthony Gerrard and Ian Roper, will all seem to be chasing one place alongside him.
Craig Pead seems to be certain of his place at right back, assuming a 4 4 2 or 4 5 1, as does Danny Fox on the other flank, as his understudy Johnny Harkness is off to Cambridge United on loan for a month.

Midfield depends on the formation, but expect Osborn, Wrack, Wright, Kinsella, Taylor and Standing to figure, as I would have thought Paul Smith would be on the bench as he tries to get match fitness.

Up front, it will be interesting to see if Fryatt starts, given the rumours, but Leitao and Larossa should also figure in some role.

Pools are looking to continue the good work that was done at Bournemouth (a draw) and Doncaster (a 1 – 0 away win last game ) by kick-starting their home form with a win over The Saddlers. They lost at home to Bradford on the opening day, something will still hurts for Manager Martin Scott but he is determined to consign that to history with three points on Saturday.

“We didn’t perform at home last time,” he admitted. “But the players have done very well since then and have worked hard to prepare for the game with Walsall. We know that they are a good side who are enjoying a good run but we always fancy our chances at home and we will be doing everything we can to get the result we want.”

Scott will still be without Australian striker Joel Porter and South African midfielder Mark Tinkler, although they both played a part in a midweek practice match against Sunderland. Although their fitness is improving, Saturday’s game will come too early for the pair, while Hugh Robertson is also expected to be sideline. Micky Barron is still out after knee surgery.

Predictions? I’d like to think that we could come away from Hartlepool with a point, but I am worried by Merson’s admission that he will be making changes again. This is the stage of the season where a settled line up and some consistency can pay huge dividends, with the players still fresh. Granted, most of his decisions have come off so far, but I tend to think that a narrow defeat may be on the cards this time.

Don’t forget Geordie’s pub guide below, for those making the long trek North!

This week, we bring you Geordiesaddler’s guide to drinking in Hartlepool. Almost on his home turf, this one!

The long thirst inducing trek North to Hartlepool, which if you are “training” it via Newcastle includes a picturesque coastal bit past Blackhall rocks, scene of the demise Jack (Michael Caine) at the end of the film Get Carter.

Hartlepool has brightened up since those dark days in the early 70’s and is a good day out with a rash of pubs many of which seem to spring up, close down and most confusing of all, actually move around the town – honest! The train station exits onto Church Street which is the main drag for weekend circuit drinking and pre-mating activities.

There is a pub right next to the station exit which used to be The Tavern (probably still is) and is fine for a quick pint and a game of pool. They also sell cans to take away after the match. If you like standardised pub-chains you find all the usual firkin/fibber/sports bar themed stuff hereabouts. Yates’, Huxter’s and the Merchant Stores are mutually convenient when heading right up to Victoria Road, roughly on the way to the ground.

My advice would be to merely flirt with their dubious charms (and avoid altogether those of The Office and Bikinis Fun Bar) and head to The Jackson’s Wharf on the Marina, visible via the tall ship mast. Car travellers will also find plenty of free parking here, only 6 minutes walk from the ground. The pub boasts excellent food and a broad selection quaffable beer, delivered via prompt, intelligent service. There is also a genuine welcome for away fans. Last season they had window posters with Hartlepool and Walsall crests, a really nice touch. The football memorabilia this bar usually boasts has been temporarily removed pending some decorating in October, hopefully this won’t affect the ambiance in one of last season’s best pre-match pubs. If you’ve got the kids with you and don’t mind wasting 8 minutes drinking time there’s an award winning maritime museum on the marina itself that includes the moored ship.

Adjacent to the ground try the corner flag club, again a friendly welcome awaits although there is the usual social club small door charge. It’s also handy for the away end.

* Emphasise usual disclaimer re closures/name changes/blocked urinals etc. – anything could have happened here since late April.

The Chairman has responded to Nottingham Forest’s bid for Matt Fryatt on the official site. Unsurprisingly, it’s a “no”, but the door has been left open for a bidding war to start.

“I can confirm that Nottingham Forest have made a bid for Matty Fryatt. I received a call from Forest Chairman, Nigel Doughty on Monday about the player. During our conversation, a verbal offer was made.

To be frank, the offer was derisory. I made clear that the offer fell a long way short of our valuation, and was totally unacceptable to us.

Let me make clear, I will be very happy for Matty Fryatt to remain a Walsall player after the present Transfer Window closes on August 31st.
Indeed, we are involved in discussions with Matty Fryatt’s agent about extending and enhancing his present contract.

Nevertheless, we are aware that there is a lot of interest in Matty from a number of Premiership and Championship clubs. This is, I suppose, inevitable for a 19 year-old who scored 15 goals from 22 League starts last season, has already scored a couple this season and emerged from the recent European Under-19 Championships as England’s top scorer with four goals. Whether this interest, and the enquiries that have been made, lead to definite bids, we shall have to wait and see.

While we are not actively trying to sell Matty Fryatt, to be fair to the player, we do have to take into account his own career aspirations. It is doubtful if he would want to move to another League One club, such as Nottingham Forest, and much more likely that he would only be interested in joining a Premiership or top Championship outfit. For that to happen, a bid would have to meet our valuation, and Matty Fryatt would need to be satisfied that the move would be beneficial for his career prospects.”

An unequivocal rejection, then, but with the hint that bids from Championship or Premiership sides at a higher figure than Forest’s rumoured £850,000, might well prove successful.

After a long and hard fought campaign (consisting of badgering the club at every possibility), there was a victory for the Supporters’ Trust today.

The club have announced that there will be a cash turnstile opened on matchdays in the future and that 340 seats in the Lower Floors-2-Go Stand will be made available. The seats will be allocated by means of a seat number on the ticket when purchased from the cash turnstiles (at gates 11 and 12) and the cost will be £14 (£10 concessions).

This is a victory for common sense at last and should encourage more people to turn up “on spec” in the future and, hopefully, increase gates.

The issue of a cash turnstile was to be part of Paul Giess’ article for the Trust in this week’s Observer, but it looks like we have had a victory on this one!

The Nottingham Evening Post, part of the same newspaper group as the Birmingham Evening Mail, is reporting that Forest have made a “substantial” bid for Walsall striker Matt Fryatt.

Walsall fans have been expecting bids to start arriving for the teenage scoring sensation and star of the England under 19s all summer, but the first move coming from second division rivals Forest has come as a bit of a shock.

Hoewever, with the transfer deadine approaching rapidly, this, if true, may signal a bidding war by the other clubs rumoured (Wolves, Everton, Wigan), or known (Sunderland, Villa, West Ham) to be interested in Walsall’s best prospect for many years.

Walsall Manager Paul Merson says he is desperate to find a club interested in taking Scott Dann.

Merson says that the player shows a lot of promise and needs to go out on loan, if his development is not to be stunted, something the Manager feels happened last season. However, there are no offers for the youngster on the table as yet. The 6 foot 2 inch Liverpool born central defender is unlikely to get much first team action at the Saddlers this season, with no fewer than five centre backs ahead of him in the pecking order.

Merson says that he is surprised that clubs are not “knocking my door down” in their eagerness to take him on.

Hardest game in the world, Football Management. After a series of brave decisions lead to a win against Forest, you make some more which backfire completely.

Paul Merson, missing the injured Standing, yesterday decided to abandon the 4 5 1 and play the 4 4 2 formation which was so successful in the second half against Forest. The major surprises, however, were the resting of the so far outstanding Simon Osborn, with Paul Smith coming into the starting line up for his debut and the dropping of Anthony Gerrard from the sixteen completely, with Steve Staunton replacing him on the bench.

The line up was, therefore;

Oakes, Pead, Westwood, Bennett, Fox, Wright, Smith, Taylor, Wrack, Fryatt, Leitao, with a bench of Coleman, Staunton, Kinsella, Osborn and Larossa.

Merson wasn’t on the touchline in the first half, presumably watching from the stands and let’s hope he learned something, because, after a bright opening couple of minutes, the midfield quartet failed to function completely as a unit. Wright managed to get some decent ball, but wasted it in the main, Wrack hardly saw the ball at all, but did do better than of late, without really threatening (his inability to take his man on the outside when playing on the left is restricting us more and more) and Taylor and Smith just had the game pass them by completely. Smith looked far from match fit and, despite three or four good tackles, his lack of passing range badly restricted us.

For the first half, it was a case of the front two foraging for scraps (although Jorge should have done better with one chance early on, after Flahaven could only parry a stinging drive from Fryatt) and the back four performing heroics as they were given a stern examination by what was a neat Southend side. Eastwood was a constant threat and it’s a good job he hadn’t bought his shooting boots with him. However, they sttod up well as a unit, as witnessed by the fact that Oakes was hardly over worked.

Most fans around me were expecting a change at half time, given that the four across the middle just weren’t performing, but the team reamined the same. Inevitably, early on, Southend got the goal they deserved. Wrack gave away a needless free kick wide on our left flank, diving in when he shouldn’t, Southend played a short routine which no one was alive to and, from the resulting cross, Gray nodded the ball back across Oakes into the far corner. It was a free header and someone in the midfield had failed to pick him up.

Merson still declined to make any changes for a few minutes, much to everyone’s surprise, as we just didn’t look capable of gettig back into the game. Eventually, the ineffective Smith was replaced by Simon Osborn (to cheers, at last!) and Bennett was replaced by Staunton. This seemed a strange move at the time, with Bennett being the pick of the two centre backs, but Merson said afterwards that he wanted to improve the distribution from the back, which is fair enough, as it certainly did that.

The tempo in midfield picked up immediately as Osborn grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and Walsall began to dominate (although Eastwood had a glorious chance to make it 2 - 0 after turning Westwood, but screwed his shot miles wide). Eventually, almost our first decent cross of the afternoon (from Danny Fox) was planted home by Fryatt. Wave after wave of Walsall attacks followed and a quickly (and cleverly) taken free kick from Staunton found Fryatt in the box and his inviting cross was met by Jorge Leitao to tap in for 2 - 1.

Lots of chances then went begging, Fryatt just failing to connect with a Leitao flick on and then putting a header just wide, Wrack hit the side netting with a left foot drive (although he should have shot back across the keeper) and Leitao forcing Flahaven into a superb save from a diving header. Southend, however, played their last card, bringing on Shaun Goater and, with two minutes to go, he rose high above Westwood to nod home an equaliser.

All in all, at half time I’d have been happy with a point, the way the game had gone, but, once Osborn came on, there looked like being only one winner, so this was a disappointing way to fail to beat the club record. Three games gone, however, we haven’t played well for ninety minutes in any of them and are still top of the league.

Merson however, I think, needs to decide on his best team (which, at the moment, has to include Osborn) and only tinker with it around the margins. Kinsella would have been a better replacement for Osborn yesteray if he wanted to rest him, rather than the completely unfit Smith. Still, what happens if we start playing well?

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.