The Saddlers make the 4 hour trip up the M1/A1 to the Gateshead International Stadium to face Gateshead in the 2nd round of the FA Cup.
Due to being chosen for TV coverage this game is on a Sunday and kicks off at 3:30pm
The Opposition
The Tynesiders just missed out on a play off spot in the National League by a single point last season, finishing 8th.
This season they currently sit in the relegation positions in 21st place.
The Proposition
An odd Sunday 3:30pm kick off due to the match being selected by TNT Sports for its FA Cup coverage.
Since their win against Eastleigh in the FA Cup 1st Round, the Saddlers have won 4 of the last 5 with only a home loss to Colchester. Despite continuing to start slow in the first halves of the last few games they have gone on to win with the latest being a 2-1 reverse of Stevenage to progress to the last 16 of the EFL Trophy. Ricoh Richards bagging both goals after some indifferent performances and Jake Holman providing an assist after spending much of the season out of the squad.
Since shocking AFC Wimbledon and knocking them out of the FA Cup, Gateshead have played 6 times (5 in the league and 1 in the National League Cup. All 6 have been losses, scoring only 3 but conceding 19. Their last game was a 4-2 away loss to Sutton United.
The First, Worst and Last Time
It doesn’t appear that we have ever played the current incarnation of Gateshead, but we did play the previous Gateshead United on 14 occasions in the league (Division Three North and Division Four) between 1931 and 1960 when they folded. The first being a 2-1 loss at home on 31st August 1931 and the last being a 3-0 away loss on 25th April 1960. That was also the worst result for us.
On a more positive note, and relevant to the FA Cup, we played the separate AFC Gateshead on 27th November 1937 beating them 4-0 in at home.
Played for both
Danny Johnson currently plays as a striker for National League club Hartlepool United.
Johnson began his career as a youngster with Middlesbrough and later moved into the youth system at Hartlepool United, scoring 21 goals for the club’s youth team during the 2010–11 season, but was released in May 2011 without making a first-team appearance. He moved to Spain with Real Murcia before returning to England, spending time on trial with Rochdale before having a brief spell with Harrogate Town, making his debut against Histon, before being released. He later joined Billingham Synthonia. Moving to Guisborough Town he scored 51 goals in 48 appearances which earned him a signing to Cardiff City who loaned him out to Tranmer Rovers and Stevenage. This led to only 4 appearances for each team with no goals before he was released. A 3 year spell with Gateshead followed before he went on to play for Motherwell, Dundee, Leyon Orient, Mansfield Town, Walsall and finally back to Hartlepool.
International career
In September 2015, Johnson was called up to an England C training camp being held at Warwick University but was forced to withdraw due to injury. In March 2016, Johnson was placed on the standby list for England C’s International Challenge Trophy match against Ukraine.
Gateshead
He scored his first goals for the club soon after with a brace against Guiseley during a 2–0 win in August 2015. His next goal for the club came three matches later during a 2–1 victory over Eastleigh during which Johnson suffered an injury after a heavy collision with Eastleigh goalkeeper Michael Poke. After a weak header back to Poke by defender Jamie Turley, Johnson beat the Eastleigh goalkeeper to the ball to score but was caught by a strong follow through by Poke. Johnson suffered a bruised lung as well as muscle damage in his ribs and hips and was stretchered off, later claiming that he believed that he was going to suffer a seizure due to the severity of the collision, which kept him out for a month.
In a 3 year spell with Gateshead from 2015-2018 he scored 44 goals in 110 appearances. He would go on to sign for Motherwell.
Walsall
On 23 July 2022, Johnson signed for fellow League Two club Walsall on a six-month loan deal. He scored a hat trick on his competitive debut when Walsall beat Hartlepool on the first day of the season on July 30. Johnson would have a very successful short loan spell with Walsall, scoring 15 goals in 30 games. Amid discussion of returning to the Saddlers, Johnson returned to his parent club following the expiry of his loan on 16 January 2023. He was released by Mansfield at the end of the 2022–23 season.
On 28 June 2023, Walsall announced that Danny had signed permanently for Walsall on a two-year deal upon the expiry of his contract on 1 July 2023. He scored on his second debut in 2-1 loss to Morecambe F.C. He also scored in Walsall’s first win in the season over Stockport County.
After struggling with injuries early in the 2024–25 season, Johnson made his mark on the campaign with a late league winner against Bradford City on 14 September. At the end of the season, Walsall confirmed that Johnson would leave the club.
Also:
Manny Smith, Martin Brittain…. Theo Vassell signed for us but didn’t play game.
Comment if you know any more!!!
Lump On
The Saddlers are on a 3 game winning run and Gateshead have lost their last 6…. What could go wrong. Lump on 4-2!
Lump Off
This is Walsall, so don’t be counting those chickens yet…
Goal Tally (sponsored by Owly McOwlface)
Daniel Kanu - 8
Aaron Pressley - 4
Evan Weir - 4
Ryan Finnigan - 4
Connor Barrett - 3
Albert Adomah - 3
Ricoh Richards - 2
Harrison Burke - 1
Charlie Lakin - 1
Jid Okeke - 1
Aden Flint - 1
Jamille Matt - 1
Rico Browne - 1
Priestley Farquharson - 1
Courtney Clarke - 1
UTS Match Poll
- Walsall Win
- Draw
- Gateshead Win
