sadlad
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by sadlad on Aug 13, 2011 6:54:56 GMT
Morning folks.
Coming to the game on Tuesday. Been a while since our two teams met. Going to be a tough L1 this season.
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Post by DoyleDo1 on Aug 13, 2011 8:50:54 GMT
Morning sadlad.
You were in the Championship a few years ago. What have you noticed the main differences being between League 1 and the Championship? You have struggled since being relegated havent you?
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sadlad
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by sadlad on Aug 13, 2011 21:32:21 GMT
Hi Goldenslew. Yes mate seems a long time now since The Saddlers were at Championship level. We did well to survive for those three or four years with next to nothing spendin on players with Ray Graydon twice taking us up to that level then Colin Lee doing well to keep us there. I'd say the biggest difference between then and now is the amounts of money between the clubs and those two divisions. With the parachute payments now when clubs come down from the Premiership to the Championship so high, certain clubs have loads of money to fall back on. Clubs like Scunthorpe who did well to survive so long are now back at the third level and will find it hard to get back.
For fans of Walsall its a refreshing change to play teams like Sheff Utd and PNE and visit some good grounds again. Hard to believe that both Sheffield clubs are now in L1. Leeds and Southampton deserved to go back up and let's hope the Blades can do it at the first attempt.
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Post by fred emney on Aug 13, 2011 22:05:26 GMT
Have neutral feelings about Walsall, well neutral in my footballing world is a total bias toward The Blades and a dislike for every other team (with special mentions for the pigs, west sodding ham & barnsley). BUT, should Walsall perform meekly & surrender tuesday night, giving us say a 2, 3 or 4 nil win, well, then they will become quite acceptable.  I still have horrible memories of the "Don Givens match" 1980, but then again the consequences of that loss at the Lane, brought us a fine season in the 4th & the return of Keith Edwards to the fold, so the end result was pretty good , though it felt like the end of the world at the time! |
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sadlad
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by sadlad on Aug 14, 2011 6:37:35 GMT
Morning Fred.
I'm of a certain age to remember that game between United and Walsall in May 1981. I wasn't there that day but remember the importance of the game as both sides battled to stay up. It was a game of two pens with Walsall winning 1-0 against all odds. I remember Walsall player manager Alan Buckley and some of his players being attacked by a few fans as they left the pitch with tempers running high. Don Givens was seen as a bit of a hero by Walsall fans for hitting such a tame penalty!
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Post by Ivanhoe on Aug 14, 2011 9:59:17 GMT
Hey-Up Sadlad,
I've got nothing against Walsall, in fact I generally look for them on those football card things, where you put your name against a side for a quid, with a chance of winning fifty, they have been pretty good for me over the years. The reason I do it is because my late uncle played for you in the sixties.
I for one hope you have a good season apart from two obvious games that is!!
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sadlad
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by sadlad on Aug 14, 2011 10:21:12 GMT
Hi Ivanhoe.
Glad the Saddlers have won you some money pal-long may it continue. Fascinated to learn who your late uncle maybe who played for Walsall in the 1960's. I started watching Walsall in 1966 so it could be that I have some memories of him playing that you may be interested in?
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Post by Ivanhoe on Aug 14, 2011 10:52:27 GMT
Hey-Up Sadlad,
I can only remember meeting him two or three times, his name is Sam Fort, he began his playing career at Donny Rovers and played alongside Charlie Williams (the Comedian). I spoke to Charlie a good few years ago, and he spoke fondly of him.
When he retired from playing as professional he settled in Walsall, he continued to play as an amateur and I believe he died playing football in the Walsall area, this was after he retired obviously.
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Post by DoyleDo1 on Aug 14, 2011 12:17:03 GMT
Hi Goldenslew. Yes mate seems a long time now since The Saddlers were at Championship level. We did well to survive for those three or four years with next to nothing spendin on players with Ray Graydon twice taking us up to that level then Colin Lee doing well to keep us there. I'd say the biggest difference between then and now is the amounts of money between the clubs and those two divisions. With the parachute payments now when clubs come down from the Premiership to the Championship so high, certain clubs have loads of money to fall back on. Clubs like Scunthorpe who did well to survive so long are now back at the third level and will find it hard to get back. For fans of Walsall its a refreshing change to play teams like Sheff Utd and PNE and visit some good grounds again. Hard to believe that both Sheffield clubs are now in L1. Leeds and Southampton deserved to go back up and let's hope the Blades can do it at the first attempt. I wouldnt say that. For us to be there - the first time in my lifetime is a shock to the system and to rub salt into our bollocks - we decide to appoint a former wendy player because thats the love hate relationship we have with our executives. We say there shite, they sack a manager and just when it looks like it cant get any worst, our chairman tops it! Our Piggy neighbours like that division. They have been there on and off for the last 6 years. They like to think they are a big club but secretly, they love being down there. I personally like teams like Walsall and Oldham. With the option of being lured by the bigger clubs in Birmingham, you stick by your club. |
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sadlad
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by sadlad on Aug 14, 2011 15:38:58 GMT
Hey-Up Sadlad, I can only remember meeting him two or three times, his name is Sam Fort, he began his playing career at Donny Rovers and played alongside Charlie Williams (the Comedian). I spoke to Charlie a good few years ago, and he spoke fondly of him. When he retired from playing as professional he settled in Walsall, he continued to play as an amateur and I believe he died playing football in the Walsall area, this was after he retired obviously. Don't recall him myself but I have emailed somebody who managed local amateur clubs so he may. |
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sadlad
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by sadlad on Aug 14, 2011 15:42:47 GMT
Hi Goldenslew.
Yes Wednesday fans do think a lot of themselves. Walsall have 4 prem clubs within 10 miles of us so always going to be hard for us but as you indicated, we are a 'real' club in many ways. We also know our place in the football world. We have been 3rd class most of our history. I love visiting the likes of Oldham, Torquay etc.
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Post by DoyleDo1 on Aug 14, 2011 16:29:09 GMT
Hi Goldenslew. Yes Wednesday fans do think a lot of themselves. So you can imagine the amount of surgery us Blades have to keep having to sew our sides back up when they keep on failing so much ? ;D Just a quick question, who are Walsalls main rivals? We get embroiled in rivalry but we cant really take Doncaster Rovers and Barnsley seriously. We help Rotherham out, they are like our smaller brothers. |
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sadlad
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by sadlad on Aug 14, 2011 16:55:15 GMT
Back way back when (1970's ish) our rivals were always Shrewsbury and Port Vale.. These days we see Wolves as ours! Goes back to our Championship days when we beat then 2-1 at the Mol. We and the Albion view them as 'Dingles'. WBA are are closest team but we get on great. I have a Rotherham supporting mate and he says they view Sheff U with fondness but loathe Wednesday.
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Post by DoyleDo1 on Aug 14, 2011 17:15:50 GMT
Everyone hates wednesday. There is obviously rivalry but anyone would think they have won the European Cup the way they carry on! They once got into Europe in 1991 (we did the double over them) and we havent heard the last of it! They cant even remember who they played!  They built a Menthal Hospital within yard of Swillsbrough. I suppose it says it all. They were founded on a pig sty, Leppings Lane was the main house before the ground got built. They had a chairman called Grahame Hogg, a player called Macallihog and Mel Sterland was the flying pig! They call it us because they feel that cherry red and white stripes look like rashions of bacon  They were also founded by butchers who closed on a wednesday - hence there name. Anyway - who are we looking out for on Tuesday? We havent conceeded a goal yet - more by luck than judgement so have you got any handy strikers? Our 2 full backs are good - Matt Lowton and Lex - a signing from Swindon. He is a Haiti international so he has to have something about him to get into that set up  |
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Post by dellas on Aug 14, 2011 19:34:11 GMT
walsall was the first away game i ever went to
99/00 season, could only get tickets in the home end. we all agreed not to let on that we were blades during the match, but when marcus bent put us ahead in the first half we just couldnt help ourselves and jumped to our feet.
walsall went on to win 2-1, and the chaps sat behind us spent the entire second half stroking my head
i had the last laugh though because i was sick on your concourse after a dodgy pie
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