The Opponent: Walsall
We meet again after what has been a relatively quiet week in the recent history of Swindon Town. I must say, the current tranquillity that finds itself nestled over SN1 is a well needed breather from off the field matters. Not waiting up until silly o’clock for the Old Board/Di Canio statements can take its toll after a while. Onwards and upwards.
I’m really hoping we can get a decent crowd in today. To have a serious chance of winning this league we need to be winning the home matches, regardless of who it is against, starting today with The Saddlers. Our recent home form is the only thing that has stopped us from being a few points clear at the top of League 1, draws with supposedly lesser opposition are not doing us many favours, and those stunning wins on the road against Tranmere and Coventry just 7 days ago need following up with a home performance that is fitting of champions elect! I think, like others, I find myself warming to KM, he obviously has very different methods to Di Canio, but if he is as good a man manager as people say then he should be able to do good things with the strong squad of players we have been left with. Throw a couple of loaness in to the mix and we can realistically kick on and find ourselves in the Championship next season.
It seems we have met Walsall quite a few times in recent years, to an extent we have both yo-yoed between Leagues 1 and 2, and the visit to The Bescot (or whatever it is now known as) has always been one of my favourite away days.
The town of Walsall is home to some 180’000 folk, which surprised me, they certainly know how to pack them in up in The West Midlands. Historically, Walsall was part of The County of Staffordshire but now comes under The West Midlands, although to call them Brummies is somewhat wide of the mark as the local dialect is known as Yam Yam, which is shared with other parts of The Black Country. Interestingly, a local landmark is Barr Beacon, which is reportedly the highest point following its latitude eastwards until the Ural Mountains in Russia! Why I never knew this information before now baffles me. For many years, Walsall was the West Midlands answer to Blackpool with a stunning array of illuminations, which are sadly now a thing of the past due to financial restraints. The local council promised lots of different attractions in its place although nothing has materialised, in all truths, is it possible to squeeze Walsall and attraction in the same sentence? In a recent survey amongst the good folk of Walsall, they were asked what the best things about Walsall are. Some of the popular answers included, “£ shops, The Stein as its not full of twats, The Charity Shops, Shit Beer and Prozzies”. My favourite answer has to be the contributor who simply said, “The best thing about Walsall is it makes you appreciate the rest of the UK”. Harsh
What have they been saying about us? –“I will be there but not impressed with the 25 quid entry and don’t remember to many decent boozers apart from the one the team came to when we won the league 2 title”
“Is this the place with The Magic Roundabout”?
Walsall last 6 – WWDDWW (Currently 8th on 55 points)
The irrelevant stats – The Saddlers are on an impressive run of form at the moment, there is no denying, but we ain't doing to bad either, something has to give today, hopefully in our favour. Walsall have a decent enough away record, having won 7, drawn 5 and lost 6 of their 18 games on the road. They have not tasted defeat in their last 3 away games and have scored 24 goals and conceded 24 goals at the same time.
The Threat – So far this season 1 man stands out for Walsall and that is Will Grigg who has found the back of the net on 16 occasions so far this season.
A Warm Welcome To – Craig Westcarr, not a name that springs out and slaps you round the chops but some 30 odd thousand STFC fans may well remember Westcarr scored the game clinching goal for Chesterfield last season in the JPT Final.
Head to Head – Hopefully another one in the STFC Column today – Swindon have won 33, Drawn 25 and Walsall have been victorious 31 times.
The Odds – Swindon 8/11 Draw 3/1 Walsall 4/1 Personally I really think we will win this, Walsall are doing well, and fair play to them, but the Saddlers own manager Dean Smith has said in the local press that this is the toughest test for them so far, and he is right. I fancy a tenner on a 3-0 win (15/1 with Bet Victor), even if it is an imaginary one. First goalscorer is about as predictable as ever (Williams, Collins, Rooney all around the 9/2 and 5/1 area) so why not have a few bob on Simon Ferry to get the 1st at a generous 16/1 with Coral.
The Son Says – “We will thrash them 4-0”. Good enough for me.
The Prediction – I think today’s game could say a lot about which way our season could end up going. Granted, IF we drop points today the season is hardly over, but as mentioned earlier, we have to be winning these games, and we will, 3-0, with goals from Williams, Flint and a late Gary Roberts thunderbolt to send the large majority of an 8’433 crowd (866 from Birmingham) home happy.
And Finally – Between 1991-1993, our new manager turned out for today’s opposition on 53 occasions, scoring 7 goals in the process. This was to be his last professional football club as a player.
