What a goal this was from Boli, a great move and an amazing finish. I was right behind it, it nearly broke the net. This goal always stuck in my mind, it’s great to see it again.
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Gutted when he went to Dundee Utd. I was living in Dundee at the time and it was horrible seeing shirts with “Boli” on the back. Loved the goal v Southend.
Think I was there too, from memory I went down on the supporters club coach, they sent an exec coach with posh seats & tables! 
Before the game, Kevin Keegan came over and spoke to me. He said ‘There’s not many of you here tonight is there? Bet you’re the best fans though, lovely to speak to you, enjoy the game!’ I was totally star-struck!
Boli was a good player, and then there was Peron, who I consider the best foreign footballer I’ve ever seen in a Walsall shirt.
Jeff was only with us for a season and what joy he provided us during his short stay.
My fond memories of him will never fade.
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It’s great to see that but also sad where did it all go so wrong
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I still chuckle at Macclesfield’s attempts at stopping Peron in the FA Cup 
I’m gutted I wasn’t old enough to see peron play.
I really wish I could have watched who many say was our best player ever
To be fair we only stayed up by one point that season and if it hadn’t been for the loan signing of Tholot I think we would have gone down.
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Remember being there for that Boli hatrick - that overhead kick was magical.
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I drove down from Dundee for that game. Really glad I did Driving down for Exeter away in the cup was madder
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I thought we stayed up by four points, but we did score the equal fewest goals in the division.
We failed to score in ten of our home league games.
There were some great cup performances, and Macclesfield in particular will always be a favourite memory, but for a lot of that season we stunk.
Peron was magic though, and Boli was good when he could be arsed (mostly before Xmas iirc).
I think you are right about Tholot being important, but I remember a game late on in the season when we’d really be in trouble if we lost, against Gillingham, and Mountfield had a superb game against Akinbiyi and Fortune-West to help keep a clean sheet and Wayne Evans was the unlikely goalscoring hero.
I was glad Big Fat Jan got the push.
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Agree with that but I think the bar was a lot higher than it is now .
You may be right. I had it in my mind it was 1 point. I remember we lost at Bristol City last away game and we were safe after that even though we lost. Can’t remember how we got on last home game, think it may have been Plymouth. Anyway we weren’t great and did look in trouble at one point. An unexpected win at Watford turned our fortunes a bit.
You are right we had some great cup games that season, the Forest home game is still easily in my top ten games. When Watson scored the winner someone swung there arm out and knocked both my Dad’s front teeth straight out. Everyone else is going mad, on the pitch and all sorts and he is looking around for his teeth on the floor 
He found one but the other one was lost forever. He shrugged his shoulders and gave a big toothless smile and joined in the celebrations!
We had a decent team on paper that season, BFJ really wasn’t up to the job, the players seemed to motivate themselves for the big games. Biggest disappointment that season was blowing it against Bournemouth in the tin pot cup (whatever it was called that season) was a long journey home that night.
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We only won four games after Old Trafford, one of those was Watford which you mentioned, another was Gillingham which I mentioned, plus Wigan when Jeff scored his only goal for us, and Millwall.
The last home game was Wycombe, a 0-1 defeat and abysmal, memorable to me only for Matty Gadsby making his debut as a sub.
Forest went up as Champions that year so getting through was a brilliant result, and the win over Sheffield was great too. The win over Peterborough when both teams knew they were playing for a game at OT was terrific as well, another couple for Andy Watson.
When Boli wanted it he was fantastic but Peron was consistently awesome!!
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I’d forgotten about the Peterborough game, that was some atmosphere in the away end that night, was like the whole world was riding on it. If that season showed anything it is how cup runs can save the worst of seasons. Despite the failings in the league it is still a very memorable season.
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It was a memorable season, three good cup runs, some great goals by Boli, the wonderful Peron, and Keates and Walker really coming of age. But we also had SIX 0-0 draws at home in the league. At times we were Duttonesque
I agree with you, Peron was just awesome. That performance against Macclesfield in the Cup is probably the best individual performance I have ever seen from a Walsall player.
I remember talking to Graydon about him, he said “He’s alright when he’s got the ball” Probably a bit tongue in cheek to be fair. Wrack was in no way as anywhere near as gifted as Peron but you can’t argue with his numbers and the job he did for the team in the 98/99 season. Still was hard not to be gutted when Peron left us, such a pleasure to watch.
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I don’t think our central defenders picked up Fulham’s striker…
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Enjoyable season due to the cup exploits better than most in recent years.