The referee for this one is James Oldham from Derbyshire. A well established official at EFL level, no newbie for this one.
This will be the eleventh time he has officiated us since 2019, the last one being our 0-2 away victory at Gateshead in the FA Cup in December 2025.
He hasn`t officiated Vale as often as us in the same timescale, this one being the seventh time, the last one being a 0-1 home defeat to Wimbledon in League 1 in February 2026.
Lets see how this one goes.
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Typical Vale fans:
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Bang on
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That’s some of the higher class clayheads on there Sid.. 
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Agree with that Bags, but wouldn’t you like to see Dallas start in place of Pressley?..just for the first half at least. I think we need to be looking at another option in the 9, Pressley has played out of his boots so far…but I still don’t feel he’s enough.
Suppose you could, but I’d definitely start with Pressley.
Not sure why we haven’t substituted Dallas on for Pressley directly so far this season, I’m sure Pressley has played every minute of every game.
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Yes he has, and that is the worry I believe. Is LG frightened to change the striker? it hasn’t seemed to bother him anywhere else on the pitch, or is it he knows deep down that Dallas isn’t going to cut it? If that is the case why sign him in the first place?
I thought we had a fair few shots on goal Saturday, but nearly everyone was straight at the keeper. Simper had a bicycle kick that fell lovely into the keepers arms, and Sodje had a good shot, but unfortunately straight at the keeper. Just think we need to try the 3 players that are supposed to be our strikers, as strikers. We have proven 10’s in Evans and I think Simper is too.
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Many a true thing said in jest.
Occasionally walk into Hanley on my lunch hour - it’s like it’s full of zombies, off their faces on Monkey Dust.
And Burslem is like the seaside town they forgot to close down!
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yes I bet, can’t believe you actually work anywhere near there to be honest…thought everywhere that didn’t spin and fire a plate or two had shut …
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Tbf aslong as tom pope isnt playing we will be ok
Really been enjoying your previews Rob - great work mate.
If we only win one more match all season I want it to be this one. Knowing us we’ll probably give Vale the leg up they need to kick start their season though.
Elvis has done well this season but the Rochdale game reminded me of his limitations. He definitely has a part to play this season and I’m glad he’s a Walsall player. But I think it’s time to give Dallas a go up top - at least for 60 or 30 minutes. He’s the ‘proven’ goal scorer and he hasn’t been given a fair chance yet. We’re short on goals and it’s time to see what he can do. I think he looks a little light weight, but if strikers like Michael Cheek can transfer their national league goals to the EFL then why not Dallas?
Hoping for a Saddlers win - with a brace from Dallas. UTS.
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I think Sodje started up front v Orient in the cup, with Dallas behind him.
I think the idea behind having Sodje or Dallas behind Pressley is that they are meant to be players that score goals from that position. If you look at our team, there are more creators than scorers. I can see why he doesn’t want another creator in that position, to be honest it looked more like 4-4-2 at times v Rochdale. I don’t see Clarke and Smith getting more than about 10 goals between them. It hasn’t really worked like that so far, although Dallas did get into some better positions v Orient. I think it is still very much a work in progress. We have got what we have got now, so it is up to Grant and the coaching team to work it out.
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This would be my team for Saturday too although I would personally start Leak over Connolly
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Know a few of their lot and trust me lads they aren’t happy with performances, I really hope we get an early goal to get the Bescot rocking, I’m going for a nervy 2-1 win with Elvis getting them both.
I detest 12.30 KO as it spoils everything, I usually do a few hours graft on Saturday morning finishing at midday, over the course of the year this pays for tickets to follow our beloved club, tv certainly killing football.
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Im happy as its on sky and the wifes at work so i get to watch it!
Love how so many games are on sky now!
Thank you sky!
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I’d agree with you there @Lukeyboy with one caveat…
I thought that on Saturday, everything building from the back went through Connolly - goodness knows how many touches he had - I have no doubt LG is flexible in terms of selection (he’s already proved this) but is this role for Connolly a fundamental part of his preferred style of play and if it is, will he change it if not forced to?
Im genuine i dont have childcare so its huge for me to be able to watch
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Vale have shifted over a thousand tickets which is good for them. Maybe get to 1500?
It’s a shame we’ve lost between 600 and 1000 fans from last season to this. Completely understandable to be honest but we could have been knocking on the door of 9,000 for this. Now, it will begin with a seven. Still a really good crowd but there’s something magic that happens when there’s more than 7000 Walsall fans inside Bescot with a decent away following at the other end.
The game? Think it will be 1-0 either way. I’ll stay positive and suggest it’ll be to us in front of 7,560 (1,431).
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Yes P.T. I claimed, upthread that they has sold out, but I saw, online, that someone up there had been counting dots and the total so far was around 1,200.
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