Best Walsall Team in 2000s

Didnt he play as a wing back

Interesting looking at the CB picks.

I’d personally put Butler in (not just for the Wolves goal) but him coming in mid season 10/11 was a huge part of the great escape that season and he played his part in establishing the team back into mid table. Can see why he gets edged out given he didn’t play in promotion winning team.

Mind you not sure if choice of players expires from 31st December 2009 or not!

Had lots of good CBs generally over last 20 years which shows how average the current choices are.

Even ones who didn’t work out here like Olly Lancashire and Mark Hughes ended up having very solid careers elsewhere in league 1.

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Disgusting you’ve put the legend that is Darko Mavrak in there.

Fuming.

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Mavrak isn’t a player I look back on as being ■■■■. I’m not saying he wasn’t but somewhere in my head I remember watching him having a great game sometime and so my view on him isn’t too bad.

Saying that, I could be remembering a completely different player. :grin:

No I agree, I am sure he put in some alright performances in and was part of an ok team.

I have seen a lot worse over the past 5 years.

He was one of the best players in the world at the time.

You could form a Darko Mavrak fan club. I’m sure there are a few telephone boxes about that you could hold meetings in … :stuck_out_tongue:

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I think that is a bit of an understatement “Okay team” Heroes more like !

Mavrak was just another cog in the well oiled Graydon machine. Didn’t seem to matter who he put out there, they all fitted in nicely into his system. Seem to remember Mavrak playing especially well at Blackpool away, he wasn’t one of the stars of that season but another one who played his part.

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Scored after a bostin’ dribble, Blackpool away…
Also stabbed one in from a few yards at Northampton, which might have been his debut. The goal was at our end and he bowed to us after scoring.
Did he actually play in the 2000s? I thought Pedro made him redundant, but perhaps he had the odd appearance.

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GK - Clayton Ince
RB - Chris Marsh (think he just gets in 00s)
CB - Andy Butler
CB - Scott Dann
LB - Gino Padula
CM - Gary O’Neil
CM - Vinny Samways
CM - Steve Corica
AM - Emmanuel Ledesma
CF - Jorge Leitao
CF - Junior

Subs: Neil Etheridge, Matt Richie, Rico Henry, Andrew Surman, Darren Wrack, Pedro Matias, Matty Fryatt

Blimey, I thought I may have been going against the grain suggesting Etheridge ahead of Walker. You’ve taken it a step further!!

Loved Ince. Infact I’m not sure club has seen as much of a downgrade in one position as going from him to Jonny Brain in a few months as he was completely useless.

Even Etheridge to Gillespie wasn’t that extreme, he’s actually now part of a premier league squad at his hometown club Newcastle.

Interesting seeing Gary O’Neill part of a few choices. He had a fantastic career in premier league and top end championship and I remember him getting loaned in from Pompey when he was a young un coming through.

Assumed it was season loan but according to wiki he only played 7 times so looks like he just came in for a congested month.

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I think Ince has a better case against Walker than Etheridge if we are going solely on what they did at Walsall personally. I wasn’t actually Ince’s biggest fan at times, he dropped some clangers but the job he did in the title winning season coming and collecting all those high balls and crosses was a big part in the success.

Walker was playing at a higher level in the seasons he played in the 2000s and was generally solid and often man of the match. I don’t think Ince or Etheridge come close. His best season was 98/99 without doubt, he made saves that defied science and logic that season but he was never out of his depth at the higher level either.

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Not quite.

What happened was Pompey had an injury crisis so recalled him. It really damaged us because he was the legs that propped up the likes of Sammways and Osborn. Had he stayed I think we would have been closer to mid-table than being relegated. Much in the same way it damaged us when we lost Evans in the Smith season. It might be only one play but some players are pivitol.

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I will see your Ince to Brain and I will raise you a Walker to McKinney. :laughing: Brain was hopeless but Richard McKinney was a different level. Only played three games but dropped numerous clangers, and on a warm (!) afternoon at Oldham let two shots squirm under his body. :roll_eyes:
So bad even Merson could see it, and he left him out. Next stop Canvey Island.

Bar Joachim scoring run at the end tried to blot out 2004/05.

Just looking at line up and yes he was taken out for Mark Paston. Then Joe Murphy was signed and became first choice. Got sent off at Blackpool and a D Coleman came on who I have no knowledge of…David was 70 odd by then so a bit old to be diving and saving shots. :smile:

Andy Oakes then keeper for run in.

Actually looking at the line ups and surprised how many decent players stayed on in league 1 after relegation. Emblen, Roper, Zigor, Osborn, Kinsella, Wrack and Leitao were still all around up to xmas at least so shows how bad Merson the manager actually was he couldn’t get that challenging near the top.

Roberts
Norman
CCM
Scarr
Jules
Kinsella
Bates
McDonald
Holden
Adebayo
Lavatory

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Darren? Saved a penalty I think when he first came on or have I imagined that? Paston was OK, certainly not the horror show that McKinney was. Andy Oakes, was he the one with the twigs for legs? Decent keeper though.

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Dean Coleman. Saved two penalties on his debut.

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That was it, Darren didn’t sound right. I thought I was right about the penalty save but had forgotten there were two of them.