I read in a book about the black country dialect that Walsall was referred to as the Valley of the Welsh speakers. Possibly described from Normans during the conquests.
Mercian Lords Edwin and Morcars’s forces allied with the Welsh princes, Bleddyn and Rhiwallon, sacked Hereford and forced William to return from an expedition in Flanders. They had agreed to fight with the Mercians as we didn’t much like Harold and his Wessex / Kent centric vision, possibly why we didn’t take part at Hastings. The theory being once Harold won at Hastings then the Mercians and Welsh would take London and abolish Canterbury (In favour of Litchfield.
The fighting class of Mercia disappeared into woods and conducted guerrilla style warfare against the Norman’s, one of the areas may of been described as - Valley of the Welsh speakers.
The British History Podcast is really good. Clearly needs a few episodes to get into the Anglo Saxon Era. They have guest speakers who are experts on Offas Dike, the Staffordshire Hoard and Sutton Hoo among many other things.
Thoroughly unrelated but Hugh Williams’ ‘Mysteries of Mercia’ is great folk history. Worth looking up his books and (same title) he runs a free page on Facebook with a load of content.
That’s a tall order. But I go into every game thinking “potential banana skin” and this team keep smashing my doubts.
To the point where that once we don’t win or actually lose, I don’t worry that it’ll set off another type of run.
That said, I’ll be happy when we start knocking over the three big milestones of 73pts (play offs), 82pts (auto) and 90pts (champions). Long way to go, one game at a time and all that and we do have a few teams below us stringing their own runs together - not least next Saturday’s opponents.
Walsall are linked with a move for 30 year old striker Cauley Woodrow on a permanent deal from Luton town.
Woodrow has only appeared once for luton this season.
Hes now the main target for MS as negotions with signing freddie Draper have not gone through
Not really now, it’s 35 years since my archaeology degree, specialising in early mediaeval period. If you can be bothered to jump about a bit the stuff on Wikipedia is pretty good, both for Mercia and Powys.
Couldn’t agree more, Offa gets a lot of praise generally, but Penda… what a man!
