In the first indication of Saturday’s team news, Paul Merson has said that he will not bring back Ian Roper, even if he is fit.

Merson says in the Express and Star that he feels that Chris Westwood has done enough to keep his place in the side and that, even if fully fit, Ian Roper can expect a place on the bench only for the FA Cup Tie.

Merson has certainly had his share of criticism in the past for his chopping and changing of the team and it remains to be seen whether this heralds a change in policy or not. The true test of that will be whether Michael Standing, excellent on Tuesday night, makes way for Leary or not.

It’s a trip to the city best described as Beiruit, only worse. Yes, our friendly North Staffs neighours are waiting to welcome us!

For those arriving by train Stoke away is a bit like being shot down behind enemy lines.

Three miles from the ground and with the video cameras zooming in don’t expect to be welcomed by a bevy of beauties bearing garlands and invitations to the nearest hostelry.

More likely just remember the imaginary advertising phrase “Senokot don’t do away trips but if they did, Stoke would be a classic stool softener”.

Having sensibly avoided trapping any stray nasal hairs in the zipper of you coat before alighting the train, the next stage is to act casual and make it to the relatively cosmopolitan atmosphere of Leek Road. Once there you will be delighted to know that there are two bars directly opposite, namely The Roebuck and The Fawn and Firkin.

Both are pretty average “sawdust on the floor” type student bars the former being of the “It’s A Scream” chain. Well it might be a scream if you’re an 18 year old fresher trying to pop your cherry before your loan runs out, but for peace loving footy fans seeking the asylum of a quiet pint it’s not the greatest.

The service can be not so much slow as random, and the beer often of the type where you don’t realise it’s not so nice until you’ve nearly finished your pint. Not a great start to the day with the hike to the ground nagging at the back of one’s mind.

Head instead to the University less than five minutes walk down College St (left then right). and the award winning Ember Lounge. A contributor to the message board last week mentioned they admit non-NUS so I’ll go with that. Here you can get a relaxing drink and ring a taxi to the ground (recommended) or attempt one of the busses that leave from Glebe Road at the other end of Leek Road.

The bar itself is very well appointed with a good choice of reasonably priced beverages, and a snack and bar-meal menu. Soft lights and art deco feel give it that Casablanca ambiance, an oasis of calm atop the tension and hostility of the afternoon’s local derby.

Once at the Brit you are as well to just go straight into the stadium where John Smiths and Fosters are readily available in outsize plastic bottles rather than brave the crowded home orientated Harvester on the A50, the only pub in close proximity to the ground.

If arriving by car and parking at the Power League Complex by the Toyota garage (£4 parking) there is a comfortable bar with Sky Sports at the complex, although getting out of the car-park can be a pain after the match.

Busses pick up the train travellers afterwards and whisk them back to the station black-leg style

The Lincoln City Rivals site is reporting that Paul Merson is taking an interest in former Lincoln defender Peter Folkes.

The Birmingham born 6 footer was, according to the report, due to spend a month with the Saddlers, but instead has gone to Tamworth, on Merson’s recommendation, so he can have a look at him at the same time.

The former Bradford City trainee was heralded as the next big thing when he went to Lincoln, despite having made no first team appearances for the Yorkshiremen. He was released by Lincoln 18 months later, having made 2 substitute appearances and one full appearance in the LDV Trophy.

He made his debut for Tamworth at the weekend and scored in their 3 - 1 win.

Walsall finally went out of the LDV Trophy at the Liberty Stadium last night, but in the worst way possible.

It’s bad enough going out of cup on penalties following a backs to the wall defensive shut out, but that wasn’t the case, as the Saddlers were the better side on the night and only a couple of bits of poor defending and a lack of conviction in front of goal stopped them from winning the tie.

The penalty shoot out, which Walsall lost 6 - 5, always had drama written all over it, as the teams went to 4 - 4, only for Oakes and Westwood (his second consecutive shoot out failure, after the play off final), both to miss, giving Swansea match points. Oakes, however, managed to save both of Swansea’s next two, making it four missed on the bounce.

It was, unfortunately, left to youth teamer Deakin to miss the crucial penalty.

Saturday’s tie at Stoke now becomes more important than ever, as we see the reaction to last night, which could either be positive, on the strength of the performance, or negative, if the players disappointment gets the better of them. Merson also has the unenviable task of telling some excellent performers that they won’t be playing

Walsall started the second hlaf at a much higher pace, not for the first time lately. The midfield soon had a grip on the game and the Saddlers started to dominate.

Eventually, we managed to work Nicholls in, who took his chance with great aplomb, to show yet again the promise we all know is there.

It was now a scintillating game again, but Walsall seemed to thrown any chance away, as they let Swansea take the lead again, with, yet again, not the best piece of defending.

It looked like any chance of Cardiff was well and truely over, but back came the Saddlers again and Constable, on as sub for Demontagnac, turned his man superbly to slot home.

With extra time beckoning, Gerrard gave away a free kick just outside the penalty area, but the free kick just ruffled the side netting.

Walsall had been the better side in the second half and the only downside was the inability to work the goalkeeper.

The final report may well have to wait until tomorrow morning, with extra time about to start!

The Fat Controller reports that we looked second best at first, but are coming more into the game as the half wears on. Unfortunately, we defended another set piece badly to let Leon Knight in to score early on and Oakes has been troubled on a couple of occasions.

In the main, however, Swansea are not really hurting us too badly, mainly becuase Lee Trundle’s tricks are being dealt with well by Gerrard and Westwood.

The two young lads up front are, however, the weak point, both being brushed off the ball far too easily and, accordingly, the ball is just not sticking when we get it forward.

Radio WM are reporting that Mads Timm is missing with a calf strain and that there are rumours about Dean Keates coming back to the club.

Coach loads of Walsall fans have turned up at the wrong match tonight, as the Fat Controller reports from the ground that the Liberty Stadium Scoreboard says Swansea are playing Scunthorpe.

It’s a shock line up for the Iron, however, of:

A Oakes, C Pead, D Fox, A Gerrard, C Westwood, M Standing, M Wright, G Smith, A Nicholls, D McDermott, I Demontagnac.

There is no indication as to why Constable is not starting.

Walsall have terminated the contracts of two more players today “by mutual consent”.

Argentinian striker Reuben Dario Larossa is the biggest name (in more than one way) to go. Descrinbed by Paul Merson as “different class” when he arrived on trial, much was expected of the player, who Merson knew from a trial at Portsmouth, when a propsed deal collapsed because of work permit problems.

The player has failed to shine in the few chances he has been given, however, as well as suffering a string of minor injuries.

The other to go is first year professional Sean Platt. A right sided defender and midfielder, he has failed to get a chance in the first team. He has been out on loan twice, the second time to Hednesford, who are apparantly keen to take him on.

The freeing of Larossa suggests that news on a striker may be not far off.

It has been revealed that Redditch, in turmoil in the boardroom, still owe Walsall money for the Joe Broad and Scott Dann loans.

Even a splendid win over FA Cup heroes Nuneaton Borough and a 3-0 hammering of struggling Vauxhall Motors on Saturday couldn’t paper over the cracks that have appeared at boardroom level.

Chairman Pat Cremin and his opposing board of directors have called respective EGM’s – both on the same day later this month.

Redditch have been served with a second embargo as a result of monies owed to Walsall over loan deals for Joe Broad and Scott Dann.

Broad has since been released by the Saddlers and has joined Carlsberg South Western Leaguers Truro City.

The situation of the Saddlers being owed this money is worrying, but one does also have to ask the question as to why the loans were made in the first place, as it’s not the first time this has happened. Redditch had a similar experience just before Christmas when on that occasion Shrewsbury Town were the club concerned.

Someone behind the scenes in the Administration at Bescot isn’t doing their research properly.

The opportunity for Cup glory rolls around now, with the area semi finals of the LDV Trophy. This is a competition that it’s not easy to get too excited about in the early stages, but the teams are now just a couple of games away from a possible Cardiff Final and the possible financial rewards of that. It’s just a pity that we have to play a weakened team again! The other downside is a visit to Swansea (or Abertawe, as they insist on calling it, but only when there are English about), birthplace of Catherine Zeta Jones and Dylan Thomas. You’ll note that they both left as soon as possible, one to Laugharne and the other, even more sensibly, out of Wales and to California.

Joe Murphy has returned to Sunderland, his loan period having ended, so, unless he signs permanently in today, Oakes will return. Fox should return at left back, but out of the team will go the Cup Tied Leary (played for Bristol Rovers) and James (played for Forest). Osborn and Roper will both be absent through injury, as will, most likely, be Devlin.

I’d expect that we will line up:-

Oakes, Pead, Gerrard, Westwood, Fox, Wright, Standing, Smith, Demontagnac, Timm, Constable.

The bench is likely to be Gilmartin, Kinsella, Dann, Larossa and Bradley.

As for Swansea, they are currently flying high in League One (3rd), with the lowest number of defeats in the Division, but they have got off to a relatively poor start to 2006 with one win and three draws. It’s a shame, but this might have been a good time to have played them in the League, following their home draw with struggling Hartlepool on Saturday. In fact, when you look at their recent record, they have won only two of their last 9 Division 1 games!

They have been missing top scorer Lee Trundle during most of their bad run, however, and he is now fit to return to action and came on as a sub on Saturday. He may well start to boost his match fitness. Leon Knight has arrived from Brighton (and scored a hat-trick on his debut) and they have the awkward Adebayo Akinfenwa, but they have danger men all round, including midfielder Marc Goodfellow. Former Saddler Roberto Martinez would, undoubtably, fancy scoring against us again! It’s difficult to know what their line up is likely to be, as that tends to depend on how seriously Manager Kenny Jackett is treating this competition, but new boys Darren Way, a 150,000 signing from Yeovil, and Chelsea loanee Watt are likely to make their debuts. Even so, no fewer than 12 of their 28 first team squad are described as strikers, so your guess is as good as mine as to who’ll be playing “up top”!

Their injury worries consist of Owain Tudur-Jones, Kris O’Leary (both knee ligaments), Paul Connor and Tom Williams (both groin).

Paul Merson has made the LDV more of a priority than most managers, so that is one thing in our favour, but, with Cardiff beckoning, Swansea will probably be more interested. They beat us very comfortably at Bescot, 5 – 2, but that was a very different Saddlers team, as we included a few who have gone and Steve Staunton had a mare, being at fault with four of the goals, but it was also a Swansea side missing the dangerous Trundle. Everywhere you look for this one, it’s a matter of “swings and roundabouts”, but, with a full strength team and their run of form, I’d be confident. As it happens, we don’t have a full strength team and I’ll have to go for a home win.