Walsall fans might have ben excused for wondering if the away win at Rochdale was a precursor of better things to come, or a false dawn. The good news is, it’s definately the former.

This was another immense performance last night which left everyone full of optimism. Saturday was a good start, against a poor team, but this was as commanding a performance against a much better side, capable of playing some neat football, if a little punchless.

Dickie Dosh brought back Ian Roper for Picken, who was left out of the 16 completely, presumably because he was so tired after Saturday’s efforts, but otherwise, the starting line up was the same.

The Saddlers started well, dominating the first fifteen minutes with some scintillating attacking play. Fox and Butler were unlucky not to get on the end of openings created by Wright and Sam, before Butler was put through and then clearly charged in the back for a stone wall penalty (and a red card). The ref, in his first ever League game, bottled it.

Eventually, Sam and Butler worked their magic, as the T&T man put Butler in to slip the ball under the ‘keeper for a deserved lead.

Stockport then forced a succession of corners, all of which were well enough defended.

Despite some pressure from the away team, however, Walsall were creating the best chances and Butler (twice), Sam and Kinsella could all have added to the lead before a brilliantly worked free kick routine from Fox and Kinsella led to us hitting the bar just before half time.

The game as a contest was finished two minutes after the restart, when Roper, completely unmarked from a corner, powered in a tremendous header.

In the second half, Ince had to make one good save low down and Stockport had one cleared off the line, but, despite their possession, Walsall again had the best chances. Taylor should have scored, Butler could have (twice), Sam had a chance and sub Constable set a another sub, Keates, up and his dipping volley smacked against the bar again.

The only worry was right at the end when Dobson went down on the edge of their box and had to be stretchered off. He apparantly suffered an extremely deep gash to his forehead and was carried off to hospital by ambulance.

Ince did what he had to, with some good catches and punches and one good save.
The back four was solid, especially Taylor and the outstanding Roper, with an exemplary display of centre half play. The only weakness on the night was a strange problem with far post corners, which left an attacker clear twice in the second half.
The midfield defended and attacked as a unit and Michael Dobson was head and shoulders the best player on the pitch.
Butler and Sam were a constant handful and looked dangerous all of the time until Sam began to tire (hardly surprisng after some superb off he ball running) and Constable looked fitter and faster when he came on, not to mention more aware of his positioning and runs.

All in all, very, very satisfying and a clear man of the match in Dobson.

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Well, it’s 1 down and a mere 45 more to go. Let’s hope the majority are as successful as Saturday’s outing to Spotland. Three points in the bag and, to follow, a first home game against Stockport, a team who disastrously lost at Edgeley Park in their first game to the team newly promoted from the Conference, Hereford United. Should be an easy win, shouldn’t it? Aah, but as we all know, football is never quite that simple, is it?

Walsall Team News

Money’s resources look a little better for Tuesday night, as back into the reckoning come Ian Roper, after his one match ban, and Chris Westwood, after the last of his three games picked up last season. Despite that, it’s difficult to see any changes at the back, unless the impressive Allen Picken isn’t yet capable of playing two games in four days yet, in which case, expect Roper to reappear.

In midfield, Kinsella came off on Saturday, but it’s difficult to say if that was old legs or an injury. Either way, his replacement by Keates looks to be the only possible change there, unless Dickie decides to gamble with his temperament in order to use the extra pace and creativity of Ishmel Demontagnac on the left wing. If that happens, he might consider Fox to left back and Taylor into centre midfield.

Up front, the Butler/Sam partnership is very unlikely to be split.

All in all, injuries permitting, I’d expect the same line up as on Saturday, with a bench of Gilmartin (if recovered), Westwood, Roper, Keates and Demontagnac or Constable.

Wrack and Nicholls Progressing

One piece of good news in general on the injury front is that Wrack and Nicholls have both started light training again. They have both been given a target of six weeks by Richard Money before they may be fit enough for a first team recall. How long it will take Wrack, in particular, to get match fit is another story, of course.

Stockport Team News

They will be desperate to get striker Tes Bramble back, having missed him badly on Saturday, when their forward line misfired completely.

They have seen massive changes in the Summer, as in have come Michael Rose (Yeovil), ex Saddler and Dingle Tony Dinning (Port Vale), Jason Taylor (Oldham) and Carlisle forward Glenn Murray (on loan). Meanwhile, they have lost Matt Hamshaw (to Mansfield), Ross Greenwood (to York), Danny Boshell, David Beharall, Harpal Singh, Mickael Wolski, Zeke Tomlinson, Jamie Kay (all released).

They haven’t reported any injuries following their home defeat, so they look like lining up the same way, as manager Jim Gannon has expressed his satisfaction with the performance against Hereford. That would look like this:-

Spencer, Williams, Raynes, Owen, Rose, Briggs, Dinning, Taylor, Malcolm, Murray, Le Fondre.

Subs: Deasy, Robinson, Clare, Allen, Dickinson

Predictions

Looks easy on paper, doesn’t it? A game at home, following an away win, against a team that lost their first to a team promoted from non League? Unfortunately, that doesn’t, of course, tell the whole story.

Hereford’s win on Saturday was a bit of a “smash and grab”, as the stats show. Stockport had 11 corners to the opposition 4 and 17 goal attempts to their 6. The problem for the home team lay with the other telling stat, however, of a mere 3 of those 17 shots being on target, while Hereford scored with both of their that hit the target. It’s difficult to see Stockport being so profligate again.

At the same time, our opponents, Rochdale, were very poor and look like facing a season of struggle.

Having said all of that, I still fancy us for a win tomorrow and will go for a nice 2 – 0.

The second half was very much a repeat of the first as the Saddlers completed an efficient and welcome opening day victory.

From the moment Hector Sam set up Martin Butler to score early in the second half, this game was only ever going to end in one way. Butler’s second spell at the club has, therefore, started in the same way as his first, scoring against Rochdale!

Calyon Ince had one easy, regulation save to make in the second 45 minutes to complete an easy afternoon for him, but, at the other end, Sam was inches away from converting a Butler cross as he tried to return the favour of the goal and Mark Wright hit the post.

Rochdale had the better of the possession after half time, but the Saddlers never looked in any real trouble and the defence was very, very solid.

According to the Fat Controller, it’s very difficult to pick a man of the match, as Dobson was outstanding and Butler and Sam ran their socks off, but his vote, in the end, had to go with the new man, Allen Picken. Just over seven days ago, he was still in Australia and his lack of training with us started to show towards the end, as he tired, but he is dominating and composed and a real footballing centre half. Money has chosen well.

The season has started in the way everyone would have hoped, with a competant, hard working performance and the Saddlers being the class side in the game. The contrast after the last two seasons couldn’t have been greater.

The Fat Controller reported in that it’s been virtual one way traffic in the Saddlers favour during the first half.

Walsall have dominated possession, winning a suceesion of corners, but have not yet been able to make that count.

The defence has had little to do, but new signing Picken has stood out, looking calm and assured on the ball. He seems to be a “footballing” centre half.

Despite their pre season, Sam and Butler haven’t really hit it off this afternoon, but that may have more to do with the fact that we are lacking a creative spark in midfield, despite the domination of Dobson and Kinsella.

Butler and Sam have gone close, while Gerrard, on the stroke of half time, drew a superb save from the Rochdale keeper.

A little more composure in the final third may yet see three points being brought back down the M6.

Manager Richard Money has decided to go with all five of his available new signings at Rochdale this afternoon. The Saddlers will line up:-

Ince, Pead, Gerrard, Picken, Taylor, Wright, Dobson (capt.), Kinsella, Fox, Sam, Butler.

The bench is:

Keates, Constable, Demontagnac, Dann, McKeown.

The interesting points are the apparant decision to go with Tayor at full back and Fox on the wing and, of course, Dobson being named captain.

A long time ago, in a Galaxy far away . . . . . . Sorry, got carried away there.

Hardest game in the world, you know, match previews for the first of the season, when you’ve never heard of half the opposition squad and have no idea how your men are likely to perform as a team in a pressure situation. Still, here goes.

Merson’s gone and Walsall fans will, hopefully, be looking at the future with a more optimistic face this year, as the Richard Money revolution takes hold. Out, hopefully, has gone the lax attitude to training, the over emphasis on “social activities”, the lack of tactical nous, forethought and planning, to be replaced by hard work and organisation, the only things that are likely to succeed in this basement division.

As the legacy of the end of last season is still biting, with the suspensions of Roper and Westwood, it is likely that all of Money’s new signings will play, with the exception of the injured Bedeau. The only injury doubts are whether Keates has fully recovered from his knock and if Dobson’s lightweight cast for his broken wrist has arrived from the States (Wrack and Nicholls are still a long way off, of course). If they are OK, expect a 4 4 2, looking something like:

Ince, Pead, Gerrard, Picken. Fox, Wright, Dobson, Kinsella or Keates, Taylor, Butler, Sam.

Several players are likely to be fighting for the bench positions, including Constable, Dann, Demontagnac and Bradley. McKeown will be the reserve goalkeeper, however, as Gilmartin has picked up a “slight” knee problem.

The defence looks a little lightweight to cope with what we are used to, but who knows what the standard is like in this division. If Picken is as good as Newcastle Jets fans think he is, we should be solid enough, but he is, of course, a still unknown quantity.

The midfield is a worry, as it seems to be a little short of creativity, which will have to come down the flanks, methinks, but, up front, the promise, movement and understanding shown by Sam and Butler pre season bodes very well.

Rochdale have a couple of injury problems, centre-back Mark Jackson being out captain Gary Jones doubtful with a knee problem, and will certainly have a new look. Manager Steve Parkin has lost nine players and bought in just three on permanent deals, one being Walsall trialist Nathan Stanton and another former Bradford and Barnsley centre back Lee Crooks. In addition, they have two on loan, one of them being 19 year old Blackpool ‘keeper Lewis Edge until January and the other being Hartlepool midfielder Darrell Clarke. That brings their squad up to just 21 players, an indication of the paucity of resources in the Division as a whole.

Danger man is likely to be ex Mansfield and Kiddie striker Iyseden Christie, who has an average career record of one goal in four, but once managed 26 in 53 starts and 11 sub appearances for the Stags.

Predictions? Ah, now for the crunch.

Rochdale finished last season in 14th place, but, with 56 points, were only seven clear of the last relegation spot. Since then, they have lost two or three key players and have not been able to replace them with the same quality. It’s difficult to see more than a season of struggle for them as they try to avoid being dragged into the relegation scrap.

Despite that, however, and despite the need for us to hit the ground running, the doubts about the defence and the creativity from midfield all make me think that this has score draw written all over it. Still, that’ll do me for an opener.

What can I say? No more than, it’s back by popular demand. Happy drinking!

Well it doesn’t seem five minutes since we were planning pub meets near The Stadium of Light and Upton Park, so for some of our newer supporters this might be a bit of a culture shock. Yes folks its back to Division Four, but despair not!

As if by decision of some Division Four welcoming committee, the fixture computer has handed us an opening day trip to the basement league’s most enduring member, Rochdale. Arguably one of the most atmospheric and friendly away trips there is to be had.

Indeed, such is my love of the town’s hostelries the last time we played Oldham away on a Saturday I stopped off in Rochdale for a pint at the splendidly named “Mucky Duck”, just for old times’ sake. Anyone arriving early by train might want to consider this excellent local’s bar on Drake St. about 5 minutes walk from the station. Most pubs in Rochdale seem to have friendly, flirtatious barmaids serving frothy Northern bitter in outsized glasses, but The Duck really sets the standard in these departments and is worthy of patronage.

Unfortunately the ground is a fair shank from the station and the town centre but delightfully there are several very good bars on its doorstep. Studds is situated directly under one of the “behind the goals” stands and serves hot food as well as beer.

The others are proper old-fashioned match-day pubs and all worth a visit for the same reasons as the Mucky Duck.

Next to the traffic lights on Bury Road (northern) approach to the ground there is the mainly home orientated Cemetery Hotel which is the only one that really caters for real ale seekers. Boasting three rooms and an upstairs eatery this bar has a nice mixture of facilities. One of the rooms is no smoking, while the restaurant is part of The Campaign For Real Food, so chips are off the menu I’m afraid! Probably a good place to go if you arrive early with the family, or are just approaching from Bury Road.

In addition to Studds at the ground there is the Radcliffe Arms on Sandy Lane literally right next to the home turnstiles. This is the place to be if you want cheap beer. Although independent from the club it’s very much a Rochdale FC pub having been named after a former club chairman.

Given the time of year The Church Inn might be the best bet for an alfresco pint. The landlord has been known to do barbecues for the rugby fans who share Spotland during the summer, and it’s also the nearest to the away turnstiles on Willbutts Lane.

Lastly if you need to supplement your proper beer intake with overpriced weak lager served in a plastic beaker (ahem!!) or are unlucky enough to arrive late and miss the delights of the aforementioned, the away stand has a bar to go with it’s superb along the pitch view.

One little fact about Rochdale, they survived re-election in 1980 when the Grimsby delegate went into the wrong room during the voting, and the Luton delegate turned up late, God bless ‘em, The Football League, and especially the basement division wouldn’t be the same without the Dale trip, be nice to see them with us in a higher league next season.

The Evening Mail has confirmed that new signing Allan Picken did, in fact, cost some strange thing younger Saddlers fans will not have heard of, called a transfer fee.

The paper reports:-

“Money has returned to his last port of call Down Under, Newcastle Jets, to land 24-year-old Picken, who has put pen to paper on a two-year deal with the Saddlers for a minimal fee.

We were reporting yesterday that sources “down under” had, in fact, reported that fee as being $A50,000.

Money says of the new man:-

“Allan is 6ft 2in, a tough, uncompromising defender and is tailor-made for this division. He has decent pace, is decent with the ball, very strong in the air and very powerful. He was recognised by many as the ‘rookie of the year’ in last year’s inaugural Australian League, and I’m delighted we’ve managed to prise him away.

It’s an exciting signing for the club, something a little bit different, and something not many people would know about. I’m sure once he’s here they’ll soon get used to what he’s all about. He played every game for me last season and became a bit of a cult hero with the fans - hopefully he’ll do the same here.

There is no doubt in my mind that he is going to be a big favourite.”

Money swooped to land Picken after finding out that two League One clubs wanted to take him on trial, having decided on not raiding his former club as a matter of principal, and admits in time he could be suited to playing at a higher level, having been very close to a previous chance in English football when impressing Peter Reid during a trial with Sunderland.

Money added: “They’ve been in pre-season training in Australia just as we have and knowing the boy well, I’m sure he’ll be extremely fit.
He used to work as a concreter, so that tells you what sort of character he is!
It’s important for us because of the suspensions this weekend and I think he’ll be ready to play by the time we go to Rochdale.”

The Official Site has given a break down of the odds for promotion from Division 2 this season (via saddlersbet.co.uk) and they make interesting reading.

The moves made by Richard Money in the close season have obviously impressed punters, as the Saddlers have been installed as joint third favourites - behind Swindon Town and MK Dons - at 10/1 and are as low as 2 – 1 to be promoted!

We are 15/8 favourites to be the top dog out of the Midland clubs in League Two and Martin Butler is second favourite at 12/1 to be the League’s top-scorer.

The odds to win the League are:-

Swindon 7/1
Milton Keynes Dons 9/1
Walsall 10/1
Wycombe 10/1
Peterborough 10/1
Bristol Rovers 12/1
Wrexham 14/1
Hartlepool 12/1
Darlington 14/1
Grimsby 14/1
Shrewsbury 14/1
Lincoln City 16/1
Accrington Stanley 20/1
Hereford 20/1
Chester 20/1
Boston Utd 20/1
Mansfield 25/1
Rochdale 25/1
Macclesfield 33/1
Torquay 33/1
Notts County 33/1
Barnet 40/1
Stockport 40/1
Bury 66/1