Walsall entertain the Hatters this weekend in a match shaping up to be an intriguing encounter. With the central midfield issue unresolved and no new loan signing, there are fears Walsall could come undone in the middle of the pitch.

Fear not, we think, as Luton have problems of their own, both on and off the pitch. As a side expecting to be back in the Championship next season they’ve spent (and spent) assembling an expensive and experienced squad. Of course, experienced means old, creaky and on their last legs, and expensive means the liniment bill goes up, so theoretically, while the Luton paper squad looks good, they’ve actually assembled a collection of codgers on their last payday.

Add to the mix a season of underperformance, by their fans expectations as well as their own, and a whole raft of FA charges relating to bungs to agents over the last three years, for a sum a lot higher than 10′/6-, and there may be trouble ahead for the Hatters.

Since Newell walked the plank and Blackwell took over, they’ve failed miserably to produce anything like the form, style or substance that took them to the Championship, and Blackwell’s days must surely be numbered, although no doubt he’ll be given to time to be judged on his own players.

Despite the midfield weaknesses we’re reasonably solid at the back, the squad’s gelling more completely as time passes, and with options at the front with Ricketts and Mooney. This coupled with Luton’s off-field antics means a home win.

One to watch from them: Marc Wilson, a young Portsmouth loan midfielder, should he start the match. Also check Blackwell’s face colour as his blood pressure goes up.

Back to Australia for Allan Picken as his troublesome injury fails to clear.  With only the remainder of the season on his contract and little opportunity to prove himself, the Saddlers have finally bitten the bullet and sent him home to continue his recovery.

All the best, Allan - sorry to see you go.

In other team news, Dobbo’s out for around a month, Bradley’s on international duty with Wales, and Boertien reckons he might be playing at Christmas.

Well, it’s been a relatively quiet week at the Banks’s Stadium, so nothing’s been put on the front page here.  Actually, that’s not strictly true, it’s just that nobody bothered to write up the news till now.  So, what’s been going on?

Carlos Carneiro is heading back to Portugal, rejoining his old club Pacos del Ferreira, ostensibly after being unable to settle in at Walsall following his troublesome shoulder injury.  Nice excuse, Carlos.

The player picked for interview duty this week appears to be Dan Fox, who’s managed an impressive collection of articles and mentions on the official site, Teamtalk and in the Express & Dingle.  He’s managed to call Mooney “different clarse”, Boertien reckons he’s going to be hard to dislodge and he looks like he’s starting to fulfil the potential he showed when we picked him up out of the Everton Academy.  Well done for spotting that one, Mick!

Rhys Weston appears to be playing for a contract extension already, according the Brummie rag.  Rhys, don’t hold your breath, mate - we all know what happened when Butler asked early.

There’ll be no loan signing this week, and Edrissa ’starvin marvin’ Sonko will prop up the central midfield.  More to come on this in the Luton match preview, once we get round to writing one.

Finally, don’t forget the Birmingham Senior Cup clash next week.  Sutton Coldfield host a Saddlers team, and we’re looking to progress.  Their place, Monday, 7.30pm.

The cupping of the balls ceremony saw Walsall drawn away at either Darlington or Northampton in the next round of the cup.  Against a background of other worthy candidates, including Forest (always a banker), Torquay, Chasetown, a whole host of minnows and maybe even Leeds, this fixture, whichever team it is, is certainly underwhelming and possibly a bananaskin.

 If Northampton win the replay, it’ll be the second trip there in seven days, so expect an appalling turnout, and if the ‘Loids manage to pull it off, a trip to their cavernous stadium will not appeal to many either.

 Still, it’s got to be done so we can progress to bigger and better things in the next round, something the All Blacks forgot about in the recent rugby world cup.  A cup run would add some much-needed money to our depleted coffers, and that would mean more money for the squad, or might even be enough to stave off a letter from our Landlord regarding the rent.

Finally, an apology:  Due to work commitments we were unable to publish a Shrewsbury match preview, and we apologise profusely for missing such a golden opportunity to poke fun at our Sloppy neighbours.

Sometimes the magic of the FA Cup enables inferior clubs to put one over on their more illustrious rivals enabling followers of said club to gleefully wallow in a moment of glory…

…but in this case Walsall breezed past tepid opposition using little more than second gear.

Shrewsbury rolled into Bescot with an away following suggestive of resignation from the FA cup, and when Michael Ricketts headed in on 10 minutes B and Q must have seemed the better option.

Where was their keeper? where was their defence? More to the point at 10 past 3 where was the crowd? Ho hum, another woeful Bescot attendance, this in-spite of the free tickets for many and the absence of the traditional excuse of bigger games on the doorstep.

Still for much of the first half it was pedestrian stuff although Nicholson almost equalised at one point Shrewsbury’s main contribution to proceedings was to remind us of the awfulness of the league we gleefully left behind last May.

Like Cheltenham last week, they tried, almost manfully to make a game of it after the break until Ishy struck what is hopefully becoming his trademark 30 yarder to end the game as a contest. Their flapping keeper and his troop of budding non-league contemporaries had another little argument about whose knickers were in more of a twist and that was basically that.

Not great from The Saddlers, but more than good enough on the day. Dann was superb for the second game running, while Hall and Sonko were suggestive of better things than of late and Ricketts added dabs of quality. We need to step up a gear to become real achievers, and there is some evidence we can yet do that.

So a nice little phase of the season awaits as we see the arrival of Leeds and Forest next month, and also the second round draw. Of course a few prestigious wins and and the woodwork will give birth to the ticket bun-fight.

4,000 turned up on remembrance weekend, they should be at the front of any queue come 3rd round day lest the powers that be choose to forget, which of course they will.

Four games unbeaten, a win over Luton next weekend and in the next round of the cup could yet ignite the season.

Gets back from the pub? I wish i’d stayed in it!!!

Nevermind, watching Walsall involves lots of environments and experences, but none can prepare you for an evening at the Withdean.

Due to the internet situation here in Brighton my so called report confirms that we secured an ill-deserved point courtesy of a wonderous strike from Ishy. Scott Dann was superb, as was their Jake Robinson. I wrote a match report but to be honest is it necessary? The computer won’t let me do it so blah. Just believe what you want I’m going to bed in my travel-linn.

Those that wern’t here were lucky, so were those that stayed to the end, and so were Walsall Fc.

A super strike from Asbo gets Walsall a share of the spoils.  Full match report to follow, when Geordie gets in from the pub.

A Robinson deflection into the corner of the onion bag saw Brighton in front at half time.  Neither side shows much, according to Mick Kearns, and we’re lacking the midfield presence we need to stamp our authority on the game. 

In what is rapidly becoming the season of endless long away trips another relationship/bank account busting effort to the south coast looms for the Saddlers faithful in the shape of Brighton with its diverse and cosmopolitan offerings.

Almost inevitably the ground is out of town, or should I say out of bounds to any visiting fan that hasn’t paid a King’s ransom for an advanced ticket, travel voucher, DNA test, and insertion of a homing device. Unless of course you are a Brighton based student who generally doesn’t bother going to football in which case you can get in for a fiver!! The joys of modern life.

Equally inevitable is that the season’s most expensive and inaccessible away game doesn’t provide those little essentials such as a roof, a bar, or even a choice of pubs near the stadium.

That said The Sportsman situated behind the North Stand has now decided to open on matchdays and offers a friendly if crowded pre-match drinking environment. About a mile down London Road heading south towards the town is the Preston Brewery Tap which has the advantage of being reasonably close to Preston Park train station (the nearest to the ground), although there are others close to the station, including The Station (!) and the Crown and Anchor, both of which are preferable to most adjacent of all, The Stanmer Park.

In Brighton itself there is of course an abundant array of hostelries, but as this is a night game and the area around Brighton station is the only likely area to be ventured into then I would recommend The short walk to Trafalgar Street which is on the way to London Road that leads up to the ground.

Here both The Lord Nelson and Prince Albert offer a traditional environment boasting real-ale and an unspoilt feel as does the Evening Star on Surrey Street.

Anyone in need of food or with a bit more time on their hands, (such as idiots traveling from the North East), could try out The Pond on Gloucester Street which has a good reputation for home cooked food rather than the usual rubbish you get these days.

Quick reminder - this match is ALL TICKET.  We must be important. 

Tuesday night sees the Saddlers on another seaside trip, this time to take on Brighton & Hove Albion (to give them their full name) at the temporary tip they’re calling home (it’s a long story).  I guess they’re shortened to Brighton rather than BAHA due to the prominence of the more flamboyant, louder and altogether pinker half of the pairing.

The high-flying Seagulls are currently in 7th place on goal difference, sniffing around the skirts of the play-off placed teams above them and hoping to make a move upwards at our expense.  An easy three-pointer to them, one would think, but is it?

A quick look at their record reveals only one win against a top-ten team, and victories against those in 21st, 22nd and 23rd.  That makes me feel a little more optimistic.  Add to this a win against Hartlepool, where they got charged with failing to conduct themselves in an orderly fashion, and you have the makings of a team hyped beyond their ability, desperate to get back to the Championship, and starved of good management.

On the home front, if Mooney is fit I suspect we’ll remain unchanged for this trip, as the team gelled well on Saturday to win comfortably.  It may be that a couple of key players could be rested for the crunch cup fixture against the Sloppies on Saturday, but that’s Dickie’s prerogative.

All in all, this trip to the yga capital of the South should see us come back with a point, some seagull doings on our clothes from the ridiculously expensive open terrace, and maybe a nasty rash if you stay out clubbing.  Stick to bottles and RTDs, and never leave your drink unattended, guys and girls.