It seems many of us supporters have done Uncle Jeff some great disservice over the years, and now stand corrected on the strength of the great man’s interview with journalist Brian Halford in the outstanding local newspaper, the Birmingham Mail.

Apparently Jeff’s pension fund doesn’t own the freehold to the land our club stadium sits on, as it’s owned by Suffolk Life. Our humblest apologies to Mr. Bonser.

How could we have known that when the annual accounts state that rent is paid to the Trustees of the JW Bonser (Walsall) Limited Self-Adminstered Pension Scheme what was meant is that rent is paid to Suffolk Life? Sorry.

What were we to think when those same accounts tell us that one of the trustees of this Scheme is a JW Bonser but obviously meant to state that Suffolk Life owned the land? Sorry.

How could we possibly have known that, when JW Bonser bought the land but used a SIPP as a tax shelter for it, he didn’t in fact buy the land because Suffolk Life had bought it? Sorry.

When Roy Whalley recently made public overtures about Walsall Council buying the land we couldn’t possibly have thought that he was trying to sell something in which his Chairman had no financial interest as it was owned by Suffolk Life, could we? Sorry.

Our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience caused to Jeff. We must now acknowledge that we were wrong, and accept that all along, the land wasn’t owned by his pension fund, but, as he says, Suffolk Life.

Tonight’s league match against Oldham saw a crowd of just 2,960 Saddlers fans watch our 3-0 demolition job. Take away the usual excuses such as midweek, weather, cup on Saturday (although that’s an unusual excuse given our performances in recent years!) and dress it up however you want, that’s a terrible number for a team sat on the cusps of the League One playoffs.

It’s too late now to do anything substantial about ticketing, seating and pricing differentials for this year, so one thing, and only one thing, could make a difference to the rest of the campaign. It’s time for the club owner to front up and state his ambitions for this season.

Is our debt sustainable enough to stand a season with a squad and manager that are growing together, seemingly stronger and more comfortable with each passing game, or will we have to sell up one or more of our promising youngsters in the January sales? If it’s the latter, I think the fans deserve to know sooner rather than later, and be given the reasons why.

Undoubtedly we’ll have to pay this debt off, but using such a short-term solution as selling a player when we’re in the position we are now would be a folly up there with the worst of them, guaranteed to see a further decline in numbers as the remaining fans realise what they’ve been willing to ignore thus far – under the current owner, Walsall’s mantra is “no ambition, no commitment, no future”.

Please, Jeff, do one thing this January, stand firm behind the club and you’ll see more fans stand behind you instead of against you.

Don’t forget the Walsall old crusties take on an All-Star Supporters team this Sunday to raise funds for Walsall Hospice.

Where: Rushall Olympic Ground, Dales Lane
When: Sunday 1.00pm kick-off
How much: Just £2 to watch the greatest spectacle this side of Sunday tea.

There’ll be a fund-raising raffle as well, prizes kindly donated by fellow fans for this special occasion so bring along some more cash to throw into the pot. Special mentions to prize donors when I find out who they all are, but firstly I know Asps, former site sponsor with IC Shipping (great freight forwarding service) has been involved. Thanks Ian!

Rumours that the Supporters side are having to play in a Wolves strip are untrue.

Proving once more that the world of football never sleeps, here’s more stories from the closed season:

Old Player To Sign?
In a break with tradition, there’s a story doing the rounds that links Walsall to an old England has-been in the twilight of his career. Two sources have told UTS that Michael Owen may have been approached by Walsall.

The old England warhorse is being put out to pasture, and with his legs gone and his scoring boots long since stolen, there may be an ounce of truth in this rumour. Let’s hope the wages aren’t too high or we’ll end up Owen Uncle Jeff more than we can afford.

Old Player Knows When To Leave
Going out on a high, having accomplished his mission impossible with Sunderland’s Premiership survival, Ricky Sbragia reckons it’s time for something new. He’s going to take some time out to consider his next move. How long is Hutch’s contract?

League One Odds
With Gillingham confirmed, the league now has it’s full complement of teams, insolvent or otherwise, and the odds are out. Perennial underachievers Walsall are listed at 9/1 for promotion, comparing favourably with Brizzle, Carlisle and Oldham, but behind Leeds at 4/6, and ahead of poor old Stockport, languishing at 40/1.

Anyone wishing to stake a cheeky tenner could do much better than sticking it on the Saddlers to win the league at (best odds) 50/1. Someone at Ladbrokes has been on the funny stuff, as they’ve got us in at 33/1 for winning.

Club Branches Out
Walsall Council, whose record on planning matters is exemplary and spotless (*cough* Butler’s Passage), think the club may have done a naughty when carrying out some radical pruning on trees outside the Banks’s’s’s Stadium to open the new advertising hoarding to the great unwashed on the M6.

A club spokesman defended the action, adding that beforehand, the motorists “couldn’t see the word for the trees”. Well, he might have, if we’d asked, and if he was remotely funny.