It’s a trip to the wonders of the Galpharm Stadium tomorrow (or whatever it’s called this week) for Merson’s misfiring men, to challenge the high flying Huddersfield Town.

The Walsall camp have been making noises in the Press about this being a difficult game and not expecting much from it, due to an ever increasing injury and suspension list. We can but hope that this is a smokescreen and the coaching staff have not been talking to the players in those terms. Certainly the outstanding player of the season so far, Simon Osborn, will be badly missed, but there is the experience available that Paul Merson says that we are likely to need.

Certainly, the Manager should have available Ruddy, Pead, Fox , Roper, Staunton, Kris Taylor, Smith, Demontagnac, Wright, Fryatt, Leitao, Westwood, Larossa, Gilmartin, Broad and Kinsella, and the club are now saying Bennett should also have recovered from his problems. That ought to be a squad capable of holding its own against anyone in this Division. Trouble is, we’re not playing just anyone.

Huddersfield are certainly flying high and the moment. After some years in the doldrums, they seem to be at last getting things together courtesy of an extremely successful youth policy, which means they are likely to be fielding an even younger team than us tomorrow. They also have a good blend of youth and experience up top, with young manager Peter Jackson being backed up by the experience of Terry Yorath.

They are lying second in the table, with a record of 8 wins and 3 draws from their 13 games and, even more ominously, are the Division’s third highest scorers. The main danger man is, of course, Pawel Abbott, who has 9 this season so far. He is having a little blank spell, not having scored in their last four, so let’s hope that continues tomorrow! His career record is a very, very impressive 49 from 89 league starts, so maybe the pressure of trying for his 50th League goal is proving too much!

As for injuries, they will be missing midfielder Chris Brandon, but that will be compensated by the return of Danny Schofield, so they are virtually full strength.

Predictions? We should get well and truly spanked, of course, unless there is a vast improvement from the Franchise game, but this is, of course, Walsall and the rules don’t apply. We’ll probably come away with something, knowing us.

Sometime in the nineteenth century Friedrich Engels described Huddersfield as… “the handsomest by far of all the factory towns of Yorkshire and Lancashire”, and train travellers arriving at the splendid station can ponder this assertion from the sepia walled comfort of the “Head Of Steam” overlooking St.Georges Square.

Proper pubs at railway stations, I’m sure Freddy would have approved, but he might have been horrified that some of the best bars in town, have since been coerced into becoming commercialised chain pubs.

The worst example of this is “Ricky’s” American diner on Leeds Road, formerly the Waggon and Horses. There’s nothing overly wrong with it, and although it’s still convenient for the ground (despite it moving ½ a mile away) it’s a shame that one of the best pre-match pubs in the country has succumbed to chrome beer pumps and red pool tables.

The centre of ‘Udds is similarly infested between the station and top of Leeds Road en-route to the Stade De Galpharm (or whatever it’s called this week). Spookily there is an Old Court House, Varsity, and Chicago Rock Café.

Weatherspoons is on John William St. 150 yards from the Station going towards the ground, although you could be forgiven for walking straight past as it’s situated in “Pearl Assurance House”.

The Crescent is a refreshingly normal pub on Northumberland St. also en-route from the town to the stadium, expect plenty of banter from the locals in here if you have colours on, although it’s mostly good-natured.

Adjacent to the ground there is the Gas Works social club on Gas Works Way, a little side road about 5 minutes walk from the ground on the town side. This place is geared up for family drinkers with prompt service (draught Grolsch) and plenty of room for the kids to go and annoy someone else. Last year there was an indoor football match between young Saddlers and their hosts. Colours welcome and the usual moderate door charge.

The nearest bar to the ground is The Rope Walk (opposite end to away end). It’s a typical Spirit Group ”two for one bar” where you can stuff your face before going to the multi-screen, Matalan or even the football.

On a match day they can be picky about colours, although in my experience they will let you in so long as you can present an expletive free resume of Engels and the oppression of the mill workers whilst zipping a large coat up to your eyeballs.

Once inside it’s pricey for drinks (making up for the two for one food), but to be fair they have Sky Sports, as well as a broad selection of beer to ogle as the pre-match/shopping/film excitement builds to a frenzy.

Then…. would you believe….you can get a drink in the ground!! Although bizarrely this involves queuing in the open air, which was hours of fun for all the family in last year’s Stockport-esque tropical storm. Unfortunately the game went ahead.

Important notice to those Saddlers who value the unofficial sites - there is a nasty little outfit called Football Data Co Limited, jointly owned by the Premier and Football League, who are stepping up their campaign to close down any website who so much as dares to print anything resembiling a fixture list.

A well-respected Watford site, bsad.org, was this week taken down, despite the fact the right to publish fixtures lists free of charge is currently being pursued in the European Court.

We are ourselves were threatened with closure a couple of seasons ago, which is why we display a link to the excellent BBC Sport website who publish the Walsall fixtures, rather than linking you to the advertising-laden graphics-intensive official site lottery.

UptheSaddlers is, understandably, not having any of this nonsense, and will be making available the contact details of the elusive individuals behind Football Data Co in the coming days so fans across the land can make their views known. A google search reveals just how many fan sites are being threatened - so any information you can supply the editorial team here with will be appreciated.

A feature on the dubious practices of Football Data Co and their expensively assembled lawyers, paid for by the fan at the turnstile, will be appearing in the Observer in the next few weeks…

LATEST - Football Data Co currently employ an agency who are issuing unofficial sites with threatening letters. Their address is:

NetResult
A Division of Projector NetResult Ltd
Mulberry House,
583 Fulham Road,
London
UK
SW6 5UA

Football Data Co can be contacted as follows:

David Folker
General Manager
Football DataCo
Tel. +44 (0)20 7298 1656
dfolker@football-dataco.com

Whoever decided that milking money from publishing a fixture list needs to consider the nature of the absurd. Do theatres charge for publishing what’s on? Cinemas? Any example of a money-making outfit desperate to chew off the hand that feeds it gratefully appreciated…

Your view here please

The Walsall Supporter’s Trust is running a prediction league competition this year, as part of their fundraising initiative

The Trust, unlike the Independent Supporters Association, was set up as part of a Government sponsored initiative to enable Supporter’s Groups to obtain shares in their clubs. Such groups have already played a huge part in saving the likes of Stockport, AFC Wimbledon and Lincoln from extinction.

The competition basically involves placing all the teams from our division in the order they think they will finish the season.
Scoring is 25 points for every team that is in the correct positon and they lose a point for everyone they have incorrect, its all done on a spread sheet and monthly league tables will be produced.
Cost is £3.00 per entrant closing date 11/11/2005.

Full details on the Trust web site along with cut and paste league table. The link is:-
http://www.walsallfctrust.co.uk/
and it can be found from the Home Page.

It seems that Matty Fryatt was narrowly beaten to the September “Player of the Month” award for Division One.

Matty was shortlisted for the award, which was dominated by strikers, along with the likes of Wayne Alison. The award, however, went to Swansea’s Lee Trundle in the end.

Ruddy and Oakes

Meanwhile, on loan ‘keeper John Ruddy has extended his loan spell for another month, as the club await news of Andy Oakes’ injury.

It was a miserable afternoon at Bescot, watching two poor teams serve up some dire fair. At least one of them gained in confidence as the match went on, but he problem was, it was the away team as they realised they had absolutely nothing to fear.

For once, I was left completely speechless and decided to wait until after the England game before writing the match report, but it still proves to be impossible. This was a game fought out between two remarkably abject outfits, which, as an example of entertainment, you would travel many a long mile to miss.

The game was summed up by the fact that Man of the Match went to Ishmel Demontgnac, who only really showed his great potential in the last half hour, when moved onto the left wing. Simon Osborn was the only other player in contention, on the basis of doing the least wrong and, possibly, Larossa, who at least looked as if he was trying when he came on.

The biggest shock of the afternoon came when we grabbed an undeserved equaliser deep into injury time, courtesy of a superb quickly taken free kick from Osborn, planted directly on Julian Bennett’s head. Franchise had taken the lead via (of course) an ex Saddler in the shape of our former triallist Edds, who was with us for a short time after he left Forest.

In a word: Shocking.

Walsall will be desperately trying to get their season onto some kind of proper track tomorrow, but many football fans will be hoping for a spanking of the opposition because of who they are as well!

It’s been yet another up and down fortnight in the history of Walsall football club, as the green shoots of recovery witnessed at Scunthorpe felt the autumnal chill against Brentford, then the first winter gale at Port Vale. Almost poetic that! Paul Merson, however, will be facing some severe selection dilemmas.

Oakes is still out and awaiting a prognosis on his wrist, so, presumably, Ruddy will continue in goal, despite his almost un-noticed second half rick last week. Pead will return from suspension and Fox will be at left back, but central defence is a problem, with Saunton and Roper not match fit and Gerrard carrying a knock. Clive Platt may have a field day.

In midfield, we will be without Daryl Taylor, Wrack and Merson. The player-manager has, however, recalled Joe Broad from loan, as he has intimated (in the Express and Star earlier this week) that he’s unhappy with Standing’s form and Kris Taylor seems out of favour, so the line up there is very problematical.

Up front, at least, he can choose from Fryatt (if fit again, as he is to have a fitness test), Leitao, Larossa (pushing for a place after his brace for the reserves), Husbands and Demontagnac, who Merson said would start in the Express and Star earlier this week.

Manager Danny Wilson will be without midfielder Wade Small, West Ham loanee defender McClenhanen and experienced defender Ben Chorley. Their danger men will undoubtably be former Saddler Clive Platt, who always seems to play well against us, and their whippet Izale McCleod, always known from his Derby days to Saddlers’ fans as “that diving barsteward”.

I’ve given up predicting, as our ever changing line up precludes any sensible assessment of our chances and Franchise have won their last two games, after a disastrous start to the season. I know what I’m hoping for, though. Double figures and one more nail in their coffin as they descend the leagues to meet AFC Wimbledon coming the other way. It couldn’t happen to a nicer “club”.

Joe Broad has been recalled from his loan spell, to help cope with a “midfield injury crisis”.

Paul Merson has called him back, as he’s missing himself, Wrack and Daryl Taylor through injury, according to the Express and Star. It seems more likely, however, that Merson is looking at more changes to the midfield in his mis-firing side, as there is plenty of cover available on the wings and in the centre of the park, Broad’s position, if it were just a matter of covering injuries, in the shape of Osborn, Smith, Kris Taylor, Wright, Standing, Gillett, Husbands and Demontagnac.

Paul Merson has said that ‘keeper Andy Oakes may have to have an operation on his injured hand.

The Express and Star are reporting that Oakes is due to have the plaster removed from his injured wrist in a couple of weeks time. Paul Merson said that, if there is no sign of an improvement then, the former Derby shot stopper may have to have an operation ont he injury.

The Star is also saying that Merson has already approached Everton about extending Ruddy’s loan, should it prove necessary,