|
Walsall are one of the best run clubs in the business, they are apparently in the black and don’t spend money they don’t have. And yet they look almost certain to be playing First Division football again next season for the third year running.
They have even been able to extend their Bescot Stadium with the building of the new Purple Stand that opened just a few weeks ago.
They are currently 20th but eight points clear of the bottom group of four and it would be a major shock if they were to go down.
There home form isn’t particularly good and they have lost four of the last five, the last of which being against Millwall last Saturday when they went down 2-1.
New signings Chris Shuker and former Spurs’ midfielder Vinny Samways made their home debuts but it was a poor performance from the Saddlers who were second best to Millwall in a less than inspiring game.
The biggest surprise was that it took Millwall almost an hour to get in front but they then scored twice in three minutes. Walsall replied with a late consolation from substitute Junior.
They lined up: James Walker, Darren Bazeley, Tony Barras, Ian Roper, Darren Wrack, Martin O’Connor, Carl Robinson (Steve Corica 71), Vinny Samways, Chris Shuker (Junior 53), Pedro Matias, Jorge Leitao. Subs not used: Gavin Ward, David Zdrilic, Matt Carbon.
They have scored a total of 47 league goals with 19 of them coming from two players. Leading the way is Brazilian Junior with 10 and Jorge Leitao from Portugal has 9.
Click HERE to see Walsall’s results from this season and HERE to see the preview from the home game.
League results in the last 20 years
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
a | |||||
1983/84 | 3 | h | 0-2 | 3,948 | |
a | 1-1 | 8,131 | Hamilton | ||
1984/85 | 3 | h | 1-2 | 3,350 | Hird |
a | 3-2 | 3,396 | A.Taylor(2) Hird | ||
1990/91 | 4 | h | 2-0 | 7,883 | Eli Grewcock |
a | 0-1 | 5,710 | |||
1991/92 | 4 | h | 2-0 | 7,289 | Davis(pen) Lancashire |
a | 2-2 | 5,287 | Eli Conroy | ||
1995/96 | 2 | h | 1-1 | 8,778 | Joyce |
a | 1-3 | 3,411 | Nogan | ||
1996/97 | 2 | h | 2-1 | 10,322 | Eyres Nogan |
a | 3-1 | 6,306 | Cooke(2) Barnes | ||
1997/98 | 2 | h | 2-1 | 9,293 | Barnes Cooke |
a | 0-0 | 5,212 | |||
1998/99 | 2 | h | 0-0 | 10,892 | |
a | 1-3 | 4,599 | Armstrong | ||
2001/02 | 1 | h | 5-2 | 14,019 | Taylor I Moore Briscoe(2) Cook |
a | 0-1 | 5,611 | |||
2002/03 | 1 | h | 2-1 | 12,907 | Blake Davis |
Click HERE for a complete list of the games played between Burnley and Walsall which dates back to a 4-1 win in September 1897.
Last Time in the League
Walsall 1 (Marcelo 53) Burnley 0 – Nationwide League Division 1, Tuesday 5th March 2002
Do you really want to recall this game, of all the 46 league games we played last season this was the worst. The Clarets turned in a truly awful performance against one of the poorer sides in the division.
Incredibly we dominated the first twenty minute during which our hosts hardly got a kick. But then that was it, apart from a few minutes at the start of the second half.
The only goal of the game was somewhat controversial with some suggesting that Marlon was held as they converted a corner but in all honesty they would have found a goal from somewhere against us that night.
The teams were,
Walsall: James Walker, Greg Shields, Ian Roper, David Holdsworth, Zigor Aranalde, Darren Wrack, Tom Bennett, Fitzroy Simpson, Frederick Biancalani, Marcelo (Don Goodman 76), Steve Corica. Subs not used: Lee Harper, Pedro Matias, Dean Keates, Darren Byfield.
Burnley: Marlon Beresford, Dean West (Ian Cox 75), Steve Davis, Arthur Gnohere, Lee Briscoe, Paul Weller (Brad Maylett 58), Kevin Ball, Gordon Armstrong (Paul Cook 45), Alan Moore, Ian Moore, Gareth Taylor. Subs not used: Nik Michopoulos, Robbie Blake.
Referee: Paul Alcock (Halstead, Kent).