Whilst we’re all under marshal law (not quite but it feels like that these days), I thought we could put our heads together and get your version of the best Walsall XI from any era.
Here is mine:
4-4-2
Parks
Macken Dann Butler Henry
Peron Oz Samways C.Taylor
Alsop Richards
I know it’s a sin to leave Alan Buckley out of any Walsall team, there are many other great players I’ve wrestled with leaving out of the XI.
It will be interesting who other fans have chosen as their best.
I’ll go with a team of players that I saw play - unfortunately that means I can’t include Boli nor Peron.
GK - Walker
RB - Demetriou
LB - Henry
CB - Roper and Dann
RM - Paterson
LM - Matias
CM - Samways and Evans
ST - Junior and Leitao
This is virtually impossible so only based on players I’ve seen live which is not many since moving away in 1991 and so they are all British or Irish. Old style 2-3-5 I’m afraid but is flexible.
Phil Parkes
John Harris
Rico Henry
Ian Paul
Graeme Forbes
Peter Hart
Jamie Paterson
Alan Baker
Tony Richards
Allan Clarke
Colin Taylor
Could easily replace about half of those but think that that would gel as a team.
The Irish was meant to be in the shape of Tony Macken in the subs along with
Colin Harrison
Albert Mcpherson
David Preece
Jimmy Mcmorran
Tommy Watson
Alan Buckley
Only picked players I have seen, Walker, BrianTaylor, Mountfield, Butler, Pointon. Samways, Peron,Oztumer Kelly, Buckley, Goodman. Picked probably favorites maybe not best, but difficult and left some cracking players out.
Again I’ve only picked players I’ve seen
Walker
McCarthy Dann Butler Fox
Merson Sawyers Keates
Leitao Bradshaw Junior
Ince
Fox
Rico
Dann
Forbes
Preece
Patterson
Sawyers
Rees
Leitao
D Kelly
Player manager Buckley (sub)
Walker
Macken, Roper, Dann, Harrison
Wrack, MOC, Preece, Shakespeare
Buckley, Rammell
Walker
Caswell
Henry
Dann
Forbes
Samways
Chambers
Sawyers
Peron
Lightbourne
Deeney
That team would get me off my seat (managed by Buckley)! #hundredgoalsaseason
You’ve picked 2 left backs!
Walker - Taylor (B), Harrison (capt), Dann, Bennett; Wrack, Preece, Taylor ©; Leitao, Kelly, Buckley. Subs: Ince, Henry, Viveash, Keates, Boli, Merson, Peron
I was lucky enough to see them all play. I’ve based my selections on the impact they had for us, not just on how good a player they were. That’s why I’ve not included the likes of Samways - great player but limited impact - and Alan Clarke - great potential but didn’t see enough of him. I haven’t included Tony Richards as he was before my time but he was a great. I had to include Buckley - he was a class player with a great scoring record. He could also be player manager.
I thought so but l should of wrote it down first and looked at it properly there’s a lot of players I would of liked to include
I’d cheat on left backs and have the following-
Walker, Padula, Henry, Dann, Ritchie, Sawyers, O’Connor, Samways, Peron, Rammell, Leitao
Subs: Ince, Butler, Fox, Otzumer, Wrack, Junior, Bradshaw
Not very balanced, but the ones I enjoyed watching most. I’d have had Brandy based on that first spell tbf but didnt pick him in the end.
Obviously too young to remember the greats: Bert Williams, Colin Taylor, Tony Richards, Freddie Morris, Alan Clarke.
Mind you, they weren’t quite the finely honed and toned athletes that, er, we used to have when we had an ace Physio called, er, what was his name? Oh, yes: Jon Whitney.
I was never a Whitney hater, he served the club with distinction for many years. After all, he did sign Otzumer, who arguably, kept us in L1 for two years.
We were also one of the fitness teams in the league during his tenure, couldn’t play football, but very fit.
One of the best physiotherapist in the country, unfortunately, his management ability was not in line with his confidence.
It’s a difficult one this but I’d go
Parkes
Caswell
Henry
Forbes
Dann
M O’Conner
Preece
Sawyers
Kelly
Buckley
C Taylor.
Subs - Wallington, Harrison, Hart, Oz and Bradshaw.
If they could guarantee the same performance each time, then I’d pick the Merson-led team that walloped the Albion 4-1 on that roasting hot opening day of the season!
Parkes, Padula, Dann, Butler, Demetriou, Paterson, Matias, Samways, and the golden era forward line of Taylor, Richards and Wilson. Defence could put their feet up.
Quite right. The very worst aspect of his managerial tenure was … we lost a really great physio. What’s he doing currently?
Started watching in 1991-92, picking the best players I’ve seen step on the pitch for us with an attempt at a balanced side…
Walker, Pointon, Viveash, Ritchie, Bazeley, Matias, Peron, Samways, Wrack, Leitao, Junior
Subs: Etheridge, Padula, Dann, O’Connor, Sawyers, Rammell
Probably missed a heap of good players.