My feeling is defend the set pieces well on the day and league one is belatedly happening.
Also don’t want to see an incredibly defensive performance, get Hall on the ball early and be positive running at their backline.
Fancy a 2-1 win.
They got in some good positions v Notts in the second leg (as Notts County had to push up looking for goals) but Browne was terrible finishing the one on ones so dosen’t suggest they are hugely clinical.
I can see this being really close and tense tbh.It’ll either be 1-0 to one of us after 90+ minutes or 1-0 to one of us after extra time.
Anybody wanting a copy of the match programme, but not wanting to lug an A4 size booklet round on the day, can pre-order here to be delivered to your home address following the match.
Weird, if you open the link it is for our match.
Must seem surreal for the likes of Jellis and the other lads picked up from non-league playing for Tamworth and Fylde etc and 12/18 months later playing at Wembley.
Yes, I think so.
If we were the home team v Bristol City, how come we had to wear that horrible away shirt? Or is that decided separately?
Shouldn’t matter for Monday, hopefully we will be wearing Red. Probably with Red shorts, which annoys me but seems to have been luckier, so happy to go with it.
We will have the honour of playing the very last game of the EFL this season.
This is a very tough game and it will depend if Sadler can get the team to reproduce the hunger they have shown over the last three games. What makes me optimistic is the spirit in the squad. What make me pessimistic is that we have been so close before this season and not quite made it.
I get the feeling it will be about which team adapts the best to the big occasion. It’s a huge thing for these players to play at Wembley, you could see that by the reaction from our players the other night.
If you freeze, similar to Mansfield a few years ago, it could be curtains. I have faith in our team to win the mental battle.
Important to remember that even when the arse had completely fell out of it we still managed to get points from some of the better teams in the division including AFC, no-one gave us a drubbing. We’re playing a lot better and the mentality seems to be just right.
I have played the “I dont care anymore” card over the last few weeks as a coping mechanism to get on with life. But holy cow, im starting to get excited as the day approaches.
I have it in my mind that if we win, celebrations are off the scales. If the worst happens, I will sulk for a day then get on with my life for a few months and forget football.
Probably easier said than done, though, when I have two lads who will be heartbroken.
Edited for you. The fans turned up in huge numbers. The Saddlers didn’t. Hopefully our old heads and our fearless youngsters will react better this time.
To be fair mate, we were playing one of the best League 1 teams ever. This should be a much closer contest.
I know what you mean, but I have to say I’m way less nervous for this than I was for the Semi Final, and more just looking forward to/anticipation.
I think it’s because throwing away the lead in the league, then throwing away a 2-0 home lead in the play offs would have been borderline unbearable. It would have been nothing short of a total embarrassment.
Now, whatever the result is on Monday, pride has been restored to this season, and whether you like Sadler or not (and I’m certainly not his biggest fan) you can’t deny that this group of players and the manager absolutely deserve that. That run up to mid/late Jan is one of the best I have ever witnessed.
That’s not to say I don’t care about the result, obviously I do and will be gutted if we lose. But I can take gutted. That’s not the same as embarrassment and throwing away everything from what should ultimately be a positive season.
Just seen this on Afc Dons fan forum, made me laugh
Walsall are known as the “Saddlers”; a reflection of the local industry. The bird (swift) on their crest is due to a merger with Walsall Town Swifts in 1888.
20th May 2025 11:50:33
Ironically, out on my bike, having just removed my helmet and standing by a church, I just got s**t on by a swift (chap next to me named the suspect). Hopefully, not a.sign of things to come
Is @Welsh_Saddler doing the preview? I hope so as they have been class this season 
I agree with this, I feel the same.
Kelly, now 59,
I cannot believe that. I still picture him as that young player. It makes me realise how old I am.
The son of my wifes job share is on the VAR team on Monday. Donations towards a bribe are most welcome 
I think we have what it takes AND I think the spell is broken and these lads now see this as their destiny, to prove everyone wrong, a few of them now use the Jellis ‘never write us off’ phrase I’ve noticed.
I think they believe they can and will win. That’s important as just a month ago we looked devoid of any belief or luck.
It’s a totally balanced contest in my view. Our big plus is momentum and belief.
The risk is the youth and inexperience of this team. Jamma and Adomah are the only seasoned pros and for a few of them (non league before) this is a million miles from their recent experience. Neither Jamma or Albert will play 90 minutes so who will lead and calm them ? Taylor Allen is the closest we have I think to a steady and inspirational influence. That leadership is collective not individual for this specific team - a strength but a weakness too maybe.
Past teams had big leaders, Skip or Rambo for example.
I don’t think we froze against Brizzle, they were on their A game and we never really got started. I think Bradshaw was injured the week before and that was a factor.