Grimsby Town (H) 31st Aug, 3pm

"Ye Mariners of England"

(Campbell)

"No news is good news" (as the old saying goes), but the exception to the rule is when you’re waiting for a striker/midfielder (delete as appropriate) to be signed in time for the visit of Grimsby Town on Saturday. Darrell Clarke has no doubt been spending increasing amounts of time in tracking down personnel targets, but we must wait to see what he can produce - a bit like watching Tommy Cooper pulling strange items from his voluminous cloak…

There is a degree of reverence in the managerial connections between our two clubs, in that Alan Buckley was Grimsby’s manager for three separate stints, and Stuart Watkiss took over the caretaker manager’s job on three occasions. So far this season Grimsby have shown a definite inclination to score - 10 League Two goals (as opposed to our 2) tells its own story, so our new “strong defence” will have to be at its best. League form so far:-

Aug 3 Morecambe (A) Won 0-2
Aug 10 Bradford City (H) Drew 1-1
Aug 17 Forest Green Rovers (A) Lost 1-0
Aug 20 Colchester United (H) Drew 2-2
Aug 24 Port Vale (H) Won 5-2

So The Mariners are nicely placed in the play-off zone, but that’s only 3 points ahead of ourselves in 19th place, with the League 2 table being tight at this early stage.

Saddlers’ team selection is anyone’s guess, partially because of the situation concerning injuries (Guthrie, Roberts, Holden et al) and Darrell Clarke’s predilection for keeping his cards close to his chest - see the “Comms” thread for assistance in going to sleep, it beats counting sheep any day of the week…

Prediction? Perhaps this is “clutching at straws” mode but Grimsby have conceded 6 goals in their 5 games thus far, so maybe our strikers (whoever they are) will have a sporting chance of improving our goal difference. Head above parapet, and a 2-1 home win, with Kinsella and o.g. supplying the necessary.

UTS

No excuses now. They’ve had time enough to gel to be able to get a result against Grimsby Town at home. I expect to see a much improved performance on recent weeks and hope that I do.

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Can see nothing beyond 0-0,unless it’s 0-1 of course!

A few years ago, Grimsby’s chairman claimed on 606 that Grimsby gave him his start as manager. Needless to say, he wasn’t corrected.

Got to win this in my opinion. Don’t think we will unless we bring some quality before the deadline. I will take any old crap win here, an own goal of someone’s arse or something.

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5 4 to the Pride of the Black Country … my eldest is waving a flag on the pitch to welcome the players on the pitch so we are bound to win…
It would good if you guys could sing Fleece give us a Wave !!

Walsall 0 - 1 Grimsby. Unbeknownst to me, the objective is simply to stay in the Football League, so no cause for concern.

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I’ve been to most matches this season, abject pretty much sums up how I feel about how we are shaping up right now, with that in mind heart tells me 0-0 at best. Head 0-1 to Grimsby.

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Going but cant see us winning against the might of grimsby, oh how we have fallen

First home win of the season 1-0 lavery, 63 min,

Going for 4-0, first home win of the season and 5500 Walsall fans having a party and none stop singing Adebayo 2, Scarr, Gordon

This could be the week that the floodgates finally open so I’ll go 0-4 in front of 4388.

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One things for sure if Grimsby win those present will become the only people on the planet to have witnessed Grimsby win at Walsall, they havn’t beaten us at home in the league since 1897, and their only cup success on our turf was in 1925. 16 wins and 1 draw in their last 17 visits!

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This appears to be the first game where folk aren’t saying that “these will be up there”.

So in theory this gives us the chance to assess whether we are an average fourth division side or a poor one.

I’ll go 1-1. We’re an average to poor fourth division side.

2-0 loss with our current squad.

2-0 win if we sign our two galacticos tomorrow.

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@Welsh_Saddler Lord Buck had three spells in charge at Grimsby.

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Amended - many thanks. At least it shows that you read it !! :wink:

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Looks as if the promised signings are not going to appear.
A few hardy souls are predicting a Walsall win, but surely to do so don’t we have to score a goal?
I’ll go for Belphegor’s prediction, but with a much declined gate of 3756, think the bubble has now burst as we appear to be back in the same old, same old, routine once again.

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I will go for a 1-1 draw. The signings won’t have come in but we will play a more attacking formation and be rewarded with a GOAL!!!

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2-1 to the saddlers in front of 4885.