Walsall

...I were listening to the Walsall match away at Grimsby - a result here was vital and if we lost tit it could more or less certainly mean a return to the second division for The Bescot Boys (Ciao already have them in the 2nd division - hah! Cheap). Anyway we were 2-1 down and the drop was beckoning - as was a consolatory beer or 10 down the local when in the 89th minute we managed to scramble in a free kick. Nearly wrecking most of the furniture in ...
...in a town in between Walsall and Wolverhampton but it is much closer to Walsall and you risk much less ridicule saying that you are from there than if you admit to being a Wolverhamptoner. Walsall FC (or The Saddlers as they are known - mainly due to the links Walsall has with the leather industry), are, yes you guessed it, the official team of Walsall - set about 20 miles from Birmingham in the Midlands. Walsall have spent most of their previous ... more

Football. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the few contexts where one man is allowed to joyously embrace another in a public place without causing any stirs or strange looks. For a man, seeing his favourite team score a vital goal is perhaps as it is for a woman after she has been presented with a giant 2kg bar of Galaxy chocolate - you won't get the grin off her face for a good few hours and she'll be in a good mood with you for well … at least well … a few hours anyway ;).

A few weeks ago, my brother and I were listening to the Walsall match away at Grimsby - a result here was vital and if we lost tit it could more or less certainly mean a return to the second division for The Bescot Boys (Ciao already have them in the 2nd division - hah! Cheap). Anyway we were 2-1 down and the drop was beckoning - as was a consolatory beer or 10 down the local when in the 89th minute we managed to scramble in a free kick. Nearly wrecking most of the furniture in the room my brother and I launched ourselves at each other - keen to share in the enjoyment of the moment that could have and still might have saved our 1st division bacon.

Indeed, I know a fair few people but there are few as passionate about football and as patriotic about our national side than my brother, me and my mate Jonathan from Sheffield. The most entertaining footballing memory I have involves him- we had been drinking since about 12 o'clock - just wandering around our university hall of residence, generally being noisy and annoying people - but gathering an eager following at the same time - the Euro2000 Portugal match was that night. The bar was packed out but we'd got a great seat because we'd been down there early to get the beer in and to position ourselves at a point where he could see the TV and commentate to me if things got a bit too rowdy. Rowdy? Well unfortunately not - our first goal went in - Owen think? The 2 of us stood up to roar our approval - and to my surprise lol he grabbed me up - chucked me over his shoulder and ran round the bar, only to dump me on the pool table up on the stage. There I lay, waving my arms in the air for a while then ran down to join him where we'd realised that we'd been the only 2 people in the bar to vaguely acknowledge that England had scored - ah well lol those public schoolboy types never did see the attraction of the non-oval ball and we'd thoroughly shown our working class credentials lol but oh well … On with talking about the Saddlers before I get too passionate or nostalgic.

The club in general
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When people ask me where I'm from, I always say that I'm from Walsall. This isn't actually strictly true. I live in a town in between Walsall and Wolverhampton but it is much closer to Walsall and you risk much less ridicule saying that you are from there than if you admit to being a Wolverhamptoner. Walsall FC (or The Saddlers as they are known - mainly due to the links Walsall has with the leather industry), are, yes you guessed it, the official team of Walsall - set about 20 miles from Birmingham in the Midlands. Walsall have spent most of their previous time (and keep in mind that I'm only 21 so my previous time may not be as complete or lengthy as some of yours) in the 2nd division - although in the early 90s they were an average 3rd division side. Walsall famously got up to the old 2nd division in the 80s under the management of Tommy Coakley (yes I just asked my dad and no I've not heard of him either but I was only about 5 lol)) and although they have since revisited it twice over previous times (2 seasons ago under Ray Graydon and are currently residing near it's foot as we speak), they have never to my knowledge played top division football. I have soft spots for both Walsall and Wolves and regularly go and see the 2 sides play their home games whenever I get the chance but I see The Saddlers as my home team and so always love to go and cheer them on.

I apologise in advance for anyone reading this who hates football - you can just VH me and go away if you like - I'll forgive you :) but this is the first and one of very few football ops that I'll be doing so don't get too worried.

The Ground
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Come off the M6 at junction 9, find your way through Wednesbury onto the Wednesbury road - follow all the cars with Saddlers scarves dangling out and you can't really miss it. Bescot Stadium is easily accessible by Motorway and about a 20 minute train ride from Birmingham New Street - the ground being visible (so I'm told) and about 5 minutes walk from the aptly named Bescot station. If you're coming by car and are an away fan then you'll find yourself paying at least £3 or £4 for the privilege of staying on the ground carpark - only to be stuck on it for a good hour and wasting another fiver's worth of petrol after the game. We soon learnt better and took the sensible option of parking on a nearby retail park about 15 minutes walk away - it keeps you fit and saves you petrol ;). The trains run pretty regularly and are timed well so or at least, in theory, as the train generally pulls up a few minutes after you reach the station at about 5 o'clock following the full time whistle. In practise however - they should perhaps send out two trains as I found myself firmly wedged with a mate in the middle of a mixed group of Stockport and Saddlers fans, trying to keep their feet as the train lurched along.

Bescot Stadium is quite a modest affair and also one of the newer grounds around today, being built only just over 10 years ago. The old ground, Fellows Park, is now a large Morrisons supermarket lol just down the road. Bescot holds approximately 9600 people with seating room for around 6500 of them - i.e., two large all seater wing stands (The Banks's Stand and H S Fellows Stand), the away end (William Sharp Stand) and the home terracing (Gilbert Allsop Stand). The Banks's Stand is said to be the family stand where cheap tickets can be had for children or families. The Fellows Stand is said to be the main stand and although prices vary depending on the match, entry will cost around £13 for a first division game. I can't comment on the away end as I've obviously never sat in it lol but the terracing is where you'll find most of the life of the stadium, where all the Nutters (fine if you're a home fan) reside and all of the chants are started. Admission to the terraces is only around a tenner but you risk getting crushed/abused lol if you're an unwitting away fan or ickle like me.

Stadium facilities
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For the division that Walsall are housed in, I'd say that facilities were average. There are toilets (for both sexes - I know that some 3rd division clubs don't actually have women's bogs!) in each stand and at each of the 4 corners ofBescot is a food outlet. The food here I have to say is very good - Walsall's pastry products came in I think the top 10 of a recent national survey and our balti pies are held in high esteem throughout the Midlands and beyond - perhaps the reason that they sell so many is that you occasionally sit in the Banks's stand and get a waft of them towards half time which has you straining hard so as to not withdraw the £1.50 from your wallet and send one of the lads down to get one.! Prices are reasonable and you can get anything from Mars Bars to chilli burgers. The PA system is loud and clear (not a local Walsaller on the mike then ;)) so if you've left your car in the middle of the entrance to the terracing you'll soon know about it - either due to you being told of it by the well spoken gent on the tannoy or having returned to find the windows smashed and a strange smell indicating that someone has urinated in the gearbox (that last bit was a joke!) The half time score service is comprehensive enough and tight fisted chairman Jeff Bonsor has even recently shelled out on some new music tapes - can't be bad! There's generally half time entertainment - usually involving a sprog shootout between the junior Saddlers and their youth opposition conducted by the chubby ex Walsall and Ireland goalkeeper Mick Kearns.

How about disabled access? Being the owner of a disabled season ticket pass at Molineux - I recently received a large paperback giving me descriptions in great detail of the 92 league grounds in the country - their facility for blind/partially sighted and wheelchair bound fans - as well as a comprehensive guide on how to find the stadium. I think Walsall isn't overly appreciative on the disabled front - there's space enough and access for wheelchair bound customers but virtually no provision is made for partially sighted or blind supporters. I take my long distance glasses (which I can just about see the important areas of the game through) and my personal stereo, where commentary can usually be found on BBC Radio WM (95.6 FM) or Extra AM (11.89 AM) - and failing that my dad/brother/mates will fill me in on what's going on. Not overly impressed on that front Mr. Bonsor - especially as your website (www.saddlers.co.uk) streams live commentary of every home and away game to places all over the world - surely it wouldn't be too difficult to hook up a few seats in each stand with a headphone socket to plug into and listen to the same broadcast?

The squad
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Well that's all the practical side of things out the way for anyone interested or planning to visit this season (Bradford fans, we're gonna be up for it on the last day of the season so be prepared for an atmosphere hehe). Now let's take a look at the squad.

To be quite honest, Walsall just don't have much - if any - money available. Well I suppose we do, they're always selling players on for a hundred thousand here and there but past manager in particular, Ray Graydon, never seemed to see any of it. Funny that, because as the manager was at some points last season trying to pick 16 fit players as the Saddlers fought for promotion - chairman Bonsor had built his "Bonsor suite" (posh restaurant on the grounds of Bescot) and was busy organising expensive sports dinners every month to fill it. Hence, the squad of Walsall has been pretty changeable over the last few years - with the board not being able to give players lengthy contracts and having to rely in the most part on loan signings.

Ex manager Ray Graydon did a fantastic job of organising a hard working and dedicated squad of players on literally 10s of thousands of pounds alone. Although Ray parted company with Bescot only a few months ago and could be argued to have left successor Colin Lee in a desperate situation - trying to battle against relegation for a 2nd successive season (he saved Torquay from the drop last season), Ray will always be loved and respected as he built up a highly disciplined and tactically aware squad - earning promotion to the 1st division twice in 3 years for Walsall. Indeed, I'll always remember the day we beat Oldham 3-1 3 seasons ago to take us up into the 1st division for the first time that I was aware of it - you were oblivious of fear as you turned to hug that random 6 ft 4 bald tattooed guy you'd always been wary of.

But anyway, I won't go through the whole squad as this is getting too long already - I'll just point out some of the players who I consider to be integral parts of the Bescot lads:

Jimmy Walker - Goalkeeper

If I had to name a player who I most respected at Bescot, Jim would be the one that would initially spring to mind. He was signed from Notts County over 10 years ago now, when Walsall were a quite poor third division side. Manager of the time Kenny Hibbitt could have hardly realised the gem of a find he had discovered in this 19-20 year old keeper. Along with Chris Marsh, who recently departed, Jimmy Walker has been one of the most loyal players in the Midlands, staying with his side for over 10 seasons which is a rarity indeed in this day and age. Walker is probably one of the best shot stoppers outside the premier league and as an influential and determined figure has quite frequently captained the Saddlers. Walker has kept Walsall in games for more times than I care to remember - making literally world class saves and blocking numerous penalties - he's a worthy man to wear the number 1 shirt and always the first to praise and criticise his team mates where necessary.

Dean Keates - Defensive midfielder

Keates is one of the home grown products of Walsall, coming from nearby Beachdale. If my memory serves me correctly, it was ex manager Jan Sorensen who first gave him a debut at 18 years old in the 2nd division. Now Dean would probably himself admit that he isn't the most skilful of players - he's an adequate passer and due to him only being about 5 ft 4 he can often get muscled out of the game by larger opposition. However, although he hasn't seen much first team action of late he is probably the most dedicated player that Walsall have available - clichéd as it sounds, Keatesy will always give his all for his club - industrious and determined, Dean can generally be seen snapping successfully or not at the heels of the opposition. He's only in his early 20s and I hope that he follows in Walker's example of being a loyal servant to the club.

Martin O'Connor - Midfielder

Martin O'Connor initially made a name for himself in the early 90s with the then decent side Crystal Palace. He fell out of favour there and Walsall soon had him snapped up for around the 20 grand mark. To my memory - O'Connor was probably the finest purchase that a Walsall manager made in recent times. He is now in his 2nd spell at the club after returning from Birmingham City in an attempt to keep Walsall in the 1st division and is a firm fans' favourite. O'Connor currently captains The Saddlers and although at the age of 33, he has everything that you'd want in a solid midfielder - he is a great passer of the ball and an intelligent player and although he is as well a gritty tackler he is surprisingly creative to go with it. Martin is a player who leads by example and is a key member of the Walsall midfield.

Don Goodman - Forward

I'm sure that everyone (who is into football that is and who are still with me lol) will have heard of Don. He's played for Sunderland, Wolves and Barnsley although probably is most famously associated with West Bromwich Albion. Don has always scored goals wherever he has gone and is one in a rare breed of intelligent English strikers moulded in the Sherringham regime. Don is said to be prolithic in the air which I suppose is true - the man certainly knows how to head a ball but his control of the ball and awareness are also some of his key attributes. Although another veteran of the Saddlers at around 35, you wouldn't realise - in a similar way to Gary McAllister of Liverpool displays - Don's work rate is phenomenal and he is a model professional. I've met Don in person quite a few times and he's a really down to earth and friendly guy - often to be seen drinking around the pubs and bars of Walsall. Hopefully his presence and attitude will keep us up.

… A quick mention for notable members of Walsall that I remember and that are no longer playing there …

A special mention for right back Stuart Ryder. I know I am biased but ask anyone who remembers him and you'd find many people including myself agreeing that if Ryder hadn't have badly broken his leg in a game against Carlisle 8 years or so ago, he may well have been sitting in the right back role for England in stead of one of those Neville planks - as he'd already played well for England Under 21s, even though he was a 3rd division player at the time.

Adie Viveash - this defender now at Reading was once an integral part of the Walsall defence - even as I recall going to that famous cup game at Old Trafford a good 4 seasons or so ago. Adie was once a club captain and came to Walsall in order to rebuild his career after playing only a handful of games over 2 years at Swindon. We've never really found a player in his prime who has been able to replace Adie at the heart of the defence with younger and up coming squad members like local lads Ian Roper and Matt Gadsby not quite coming up to scratch - but there is yet time.

Michael Ricketts - yes, that striker who started the England friendly against Holland had only 2 seasons ago been plying his trades down Bescot. Now we're not going to be hypocritical - I've never disliked Michael Ricketts and have always valued his goals for the club but I would stand up with the rest of them to yell "Ricketts, get off! Yam f*****g sh*t!". To be fair, Walsall born Ricketts was a much better player than anyone ever gave him credit for and it was only after he'd been converted from a winger to a poaching striker that anyone realised it. If only we had him now lol - oh well, good luck in your international career lad.

My parting words
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"Thank god!" I hear you cry - I'm nearly finished. As I've said above, I've always had a soft spot for the Bescot boys - and ever since their promotion to the 2nd division in 1995 they've always tried to play attractive passing football. Ex manager Graydon could often have been criticised as being negative and too harsh a disciplinarian (he has been known to list players such as talented midfielder and Hungarian international Gabi Bukran, just because they received a straight red card), it was his emphasis on defence and organisation that earned Walsall their first revisit in recent times to the 1st division in particular. Colin Lee is now left with the task of getting together a squad of recent signings and loan players in order to battle against the drop. He's done a great job so far and is trying to embark on a much more attacking and aggressive style - indeed it's great to see the lads getting stuck in and not being afraid of being fined if they were booked lol.

I think it's important that people should follow their home side - or at least a local one, instead of sitting at home watching ITV Digital where you plumb for a side that you may never have or ever will have the chance to see. It's the littler sides that tend to be friendlier and more personal, with some of the banter (most of it not printable here) that goes on in the stands giving me some hilarious memories.

Hope I've not bored anyone with this - it was the first thing that came to mind lol.

Cheers for reading

Craig - April 2002

 

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