New footage on Youtube

That’s my first season too and I love that kit with the green socks.

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Kenny Beech, that’s who I couldn’t think of. Oh how I loved those days at Fellows Park.

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If you’re buying it … we’ll want proof you’ve all purchased the socks you’re going on about as well … :rofl:

My first season (74-75 - immediately after the replay win over Man Utd) we played in the white shirt red short combo that many people think about of as our natural colours - but my favourite was always the Hungary strip of the Dave Mackay era.

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Just to add to that, by my reckoning Caswell did 14 consecutive years on Walsall’s books, Mower did 13, Hart did 10, O’Kelly 7-8 in two spells, plus his 3 years as Assistant Manager, and Ron Green did about 10 years in two spells, so 55ish years between the five of them!

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That does take us into a different sphere - who was the last, and who will be the next, player to earn a testimonial? It’s just a bunch of journeymen these days who do 1-2-3 years with a club and then move on.

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I would take a guess at the last one being Roper. Next will probably be Candlin, ten years at the club, 1 start and 30 arse splinters.

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The frightening thing is that I remember watching the second half at my mate’s house.
The match was 14th November 1981.

I remember Ian Roper having one in the mid 2000’s. Other than that, I suppose Adam Chambers was the closest we’ve had since then.

I remember Jimmy Walker’s too, 2003?

Liam Roberts must be the closest, if you’re willing to forgive the short time he was released and re-signed.

Team for this match was Green, Macken, Caswell, Beech, Serella, Hart, O’Kelly, Penn, Loveridge, Waddington S, Mower. Not sure who sub was

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Cheers. So the other centre back was Dave Serella rather than Steve Baines.

Serella was another stalwart who I thought finished with us the year before, but there you go. I reckon Serrella did eight or nine seasons with us. Proper defender, no frills, nice fella.

In terms of the sub, I’d guess at a Steve Round who in my mind seemed to be number 12 forever.

Whilst on the books it may have been a bit early for the likes of Sinnott, Rees, Shakespeare and Preece who came through the season after or so. Blimey, that’s some crop of kids that.

Yes,we never ever complained in those days did we…:smile:

Here’s some footage I’d never seen before from 1989:

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Remember that game well. A rare ray of sunshine under Barnwell.

We got knocked out by two late goals at Hereford in the next round and in doing so missed out on a Home tie with Manchester United.

Like the Merson side that was relegated, there were some decent players in that team and like the Merson team horribly mismanaged meaning we started our Bescot life in the fourth division with a few of our best players sat in the stands because we couldn’t afford their win bonuses.

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Serella was with us from 74-82. Sinnott made 4 starts in March 82, Preece first appeared in 81-82 , Rees 79, Shakespeare 82-83, the latter three really came to the fore together in 83-84 season. Looking in The history of Walsall Football Club book makes you realise how many great players we had in the late 70s to mid 80s.

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I’ve mentioned to fellow football supporters at work , and in the locals , of all local teams Villa , Birmingham ,West brom ,and Woool , and Woool , and Wooolv , no good I can’t say it … and said if we could of put all the great players we’ve had over time in one side they would of been unbeatable , a very good team indeed

Back then of course, only 1 sub allowed and 9 times out of 10 never used anyway - and, barring injury or serious loss of form, more often than not the same starting lineup week by week picked from a squad of players the majority of whom you knew would still be there the following season.

Our entire 1st team squads back in the 70s and 80s probably wouldn’t have been big enough for us to turn out a full bench these days (after only 9 games so far this season we’ve probably used more players than were in many of those squads). And many would play most if not every game, and probably the full 90 minutes every time.

So how come players need more cotton wool treatment these days when they are supposed to be fitter than back then?

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I got to that game well after kick off for some reason and ended up in the home end. I got taken out by a couple of coppers after Rimmer’s goal, I’d only been in the ground about 5 minutes, but thankfully they just took me round to the Walsall end rather than kick me out. :flushed: