Sun 28th February

“Villa’s season hit’s rock bottom” scream the tabloids. Now if rock bottom was a female then we could anticipate the inclusion of you know who in the story, or if rock bottom was a type of lager or class A drug then we could suspect another member of the squad but apparently it’s the home defeat by Coventry City that’s left them at rock bottom. 

 

Conversely, the 1 -4 reverse in the Sky Blues first league win at Vile Park has left the rest of the West Midlands in a state on rejoicement. No longer will we have to see John Gregory as the natural successor to Kevin Keegan. Although doing a bit of job at a poxy southern lower league club was his speciality before making a mess of a poxy Preeeemieeer league Club. 

 

Perhaps this bad run is all part of a masterplan for the dark side of the county to avoid qualification for the run of the mill Champions League and give them more chance of qualifying for the more glamorous and prestigious UEFA Cup. Their words not mine. Or are they aiming for the Inter-Toto Cup? 

Sat 27th February - Notts County

For probably the first time under the guidance of Uncle Ray we’ve managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. 

 

Just when you dared think that the days of inevitable defensive indicipline and poor organisation were gone we go and throw away a game we had no right to win but were going to regardless of possession or dominance. 

 

Losing at Fulham or Manchester City was far less painful as we were basically blown away on both occasions but today we had the confidence to know that although we were obviously knackered and being outplayed, that the goal we had would be enough if we could scrap and hang in there. 

 

Unfortunately the game lasts for ninety and not seventy five minutes.

 

Now I know this is verging on blasphemous but dare I suggest that Uncle Ray got it wrong this afternoon. I know I have very defined football philosophies and if they were all stuck to then we’d never win a game in a month of Sunday’s but, to me, if your back four is working - don’t change it. Ever.

 

Evans for Darko with Marshy switching to left wing was basically suicide.  Fair enough I can see that UR was trying to rest legs and that the older players looked shattered but we’ve not got a midweek game this week. 

 

Surely another 30 minutes wouldn’t have done the damage that Notts County inflicted on us in that last, painful fifteen minutes.

 

Again the doubts arise. I know some people are still expecting automatic promotion but for me the top six is our realistic target and in achieving that goal we have to take something from places like Meadow Lane. 

 

Rammell ‘s strike for what it’s worth was fantastic. Put through by Pointon and one on one with the keeper I fancied either the keeper or the defenders but Rambo proved me wrong for the umpteenth time since the autumn with a fine strike across the keeper, leaving the net bulging as he wheeled away in triumph. The only pity was that we didn’t go on and make it count. Let’s hope we learn from this and use the midweek break to rest mental as well as physically.

 

On a brighter note the forces of evil also saw a win escape their desperate clutches as Huddersfield equalise as the injury time board goes up.  It’s about the only thing that’s going up in wolverhampton this season.

Fri 26th February

Someone is having another go at poor old DVS in the local media. No prizes for guessing who it is though.

 

Apparently we’ve gone and loaned Colin Cramb of Bristol City and I’m informed that he’s a striker. A bit of a surprise is this one. Now had I been Uncle Ray then I’d be pushing like hell for a midfielder because Bjarne is being carried along by Deano at the moment and the loss of Porter leaves Wayne Thomas as the only ready made replacement for this position. On the other hand who am I to question the wisdom of Uncle Ray ? 

 

Notts County tomorrow and a visit to a very unhappy hunting ground. Meadow Lane has only yielded one positive result for the mighty Saddlers in all the visits I’ve made but I suppose it was the important one. Semi final’s of the play off’s are fairly important games and the David Kelly inspired Saddlers came back from an early deficit to win 3 - 1. Kelly twice and the Shakespeare with the other on a very hot Sunday afternoon. Happy times. 

 

We really could do with a win tomorrow but following the positive result on Tuesday night a point would probably suffice.

Thu 25th February

The comeback of Richard Green is on as he turned out for the reserves against Chesterfield.  I don’t know the final score but the fact one our key players is available again is far more significant

Tue 23rd February - Northampton Town

I got my ticket and had a rather fine evening. Route One is an understatement for these cowboys. 

 

Someone said they Northampton make Chesterfield look like Real Madrid and in many ways they hit the nail on the head. The Cobblers are the most direct team I think I have ever seen and considering we saw the Beck incarnations of both Cambridge and Preston and the Devon White inspired Bristol Rovers then that is truly saying something.

 

Northampton are the only side I have ever seen who see defending a corner kick as a genuine attacking opportunity. I’ve never seen a team move the ball into the oppositions last third as quickly and effectively as these. Only when the need for brawn is lessened and the requirement for skill and imagination comes into play do they struggle.

 

The key to tonight was seeing out the first twenty minutes bombardment and going on to build on that success. We did just that. After negotiating the aforementioned blitz we started to make the ball stick upfront as Rammell and Brissett came more into the game. The midfield didn’t need to be won as the home side didn’t really have one and as Keates in particular drove the ball between defence and attack a goal became more and more likely. 

 

The half finished kind of petered out as we negated all that Northampton could muster and then as the whistle arrived a couple of blokes, apparently wolves fans, took a beating right behind the goal. Ouch.

 

Come the second half and come the man. Enter Siggy Icelander, a new six foot three inch centre forward straight out of the Adolf Hitler order book of perfect breeds. Not an ounce of fat on this boy believe me and he had a pretty decent half.

 

“Siggy’s off the Beechdale” takes the award for best song of the season so far and he certainly won the crowd over. Rammell, as ever, was immense both in defence and in attack and inevitably the goal revolved around him. 

 

A hopeful hack upfield with AR and a defender challenging for a 50/50 ball. The Ram not only won the ball but made it stick and got the move going. Seconds later he was in the box and heading towards goal. A most helpful home keeper spilled a regulation catch and Darko followed in to open his Saddlers account. 

 

One nil up and twenty two minutes to hang on would be nailbiting but I really fancied us. They huffed and they puffed but our back four isn’t made of sticks. We held out and took our ninth league away win. Not bad for a side with a dodgy away record, eh Mr Instone.

 

Uncle Ray would have loved this one in particular though. The good guys overcoming the evil that is route one and a clean sheet to boot. It probably doesn’t get any better than this.

 

Fulham, PNE and Gillingham also win so this was a really important result for us. Man City in fifth place are now ten points behind us with a game in hand and Stoke in seventh are fifteen points behind us. To say things are looking good is probably the cue for the self destruct button to be pressed so I won’t.

Mon 22nd February

Tomorrow night offers a trip to Northampton assuming that I can arrange a replacement ticket. The Dragon, usually such a reliable and sensible bird, recently decided to clear out all the bits of rubbish that I leave lying around the house and in seeing the date on tomorrow night’s ticket as 15-01-99 she decided to bin it.  

The only problem being the match on that date was postponed and re-arranged for tomorrow night.  To say I flipped would be an understatement. As for the game we should know what to expect.  Direct, Direct, Direct to paraphrase the PM. 

 

We usually capitulate under the type of pressure that route one imposes but I reckon Rambo, Ada,  Deano and Wacka will really be looking forward to righting a few wrongs tomorrow night.  I reckon we could win this one but also fear the worst, so I’d probably take a point if it was offered. However I’d really love to roll these fuckers over.

Sun 21st February

Let’s just hope that DVS isn’t reading the papers as the geezer who told him to ignore all the crap in them makes another telling contribution.  

This time it’s along the lines of “Why the fuck did we blow seven million on this Joker ?”  

The answer, which incidentally didn’t sit alongside the question, is - because you’re a bunch of arrogant Brummie tossers who understand little about the word quality in “quality players”  but seem to thrive on the words “expensive, overrated and former England...”. They must be pissing themselves in Liverpool.

Sat 20th February - Chesterfield

Chesterfield made the relatively short visit to Bescot.  Now when we go to their place we use the A38 & M1. Do they come the same way or simply take the route one option? 

 

Again we didn’t play that well but this time we had to do it the hard way as we lost a goal inside the first ten minutes off a corner. By my reckoning this was the first goal we had conceded off a corner this season which after 40 odd games is a bit of an achievement. I suppose it had to come at some time but so early in a tough game was very unfortunate. It knocked us out of our stride and the Spireites clearly dominated the rest of the first half.

 

Just as it was looking as we would need two to win in the second half Sir Andy levelled matters.  Darko finally managed a telling cross and Rambo stole in at the back post to head into an empty net.  

Half time came within seconds and I really fancied us to go on and take the game.  However it was not to be. Rammell had a certain goal tipped over by Billy Mercer and the keeper also denied Roper from a set piece. It wasn’t the most memorable of games but I suppose that with events of last Tuesday night and the directness of the famous CFC this was never going to be a classic.  One point gained rather than two lost I reckon.

Elsewhere Fulham retake top spot with a 2-1 win at home to Notts County and Preston lose. Manchester City make it eight games unbeaten with their fifth win in that period and are making ominous moves towards the automatic places. We have been warned.

Oh and wolves lose in apparently harsh circumstances at Sunderland. Now where have I heard that before.

Fri 19th February

The end of Gary Porter’s Walsall career has arrived as Gazza moves his one man injury crisis to the seaside town of Scarborough. 

I seem to remember they used to walk Red Rum in the sea at Lytham in an attempt to get him fit for action more quickly. Indeed injured horses are usually shot. 

Perhaps if they walk a few more in the sea and get GP to shoot them then there would be loads more horses alive today. I mean how many times out of ten did Gazza hit the target? 

More seriously I do wish him well. We didn’t see the Gary Porter who played for Watford as age and injury intervened throughout his time at Walsall but at least in going before he was pushed he has enabled Uncle Ray to bring in another face.   

Chesterfield visit tomorrow so start those neck exercises as soon as you get out of bed in the morning cos you're gonna spend a long time looking up at the sky tomorrow afternoon. It's Hoof O'Clock.

Thu 18th February

The ever decisive FA begin the new search for a national manager to replace the one they installed yesterday. Is the old piss up in a brewery or the tail wagging the dog the most appropriate comparison here?

 

Gregory tells Stanley, via the press obviously, to ignore all the crap in the papers and concentrate on playing football. OK, but who put all the crap in the papers in the first place? Yes, that’s what I thought.

Wed 17th February

The injuries are mounting up as Marshy and Neil Pointon look doubtful for the weekend, leaving Wayne Evans as the sole recognised fit full back.

 

Millwall are the barrier between us and the twin towers having overcome Gillingham in Golden Goal time last night.  Please don’t let us fuck it up again.

The FA end their search for a new national manager as Kevin Keegan accepts the England job on a part time and temporary basis.  Four games is all he’s going to do because fulfilling his contract at Fulham is important to him.  

Fair play. Apparently the FA Premier league has a code of conduct with regard to current serving managers. Perhaps the FA don’t apply the same rules to snatching Nationwide League Managers.  

Or perhaps where there there’s no dignity there’s no shame either.

On a brighter note Villa lose again, this time at home to a stuttering Leeds side. Stanley makes his reappearance amid cheers from the majority of Villa fans. So is this a snub to John Gregory or were they warning Ulrika to make a run for it?

Tue 16th Feb - Cambridge United

Well we did it in the end but to say we made hard work of it would be an understatement. The get out of jail card was used big time tonight and the should the black cat be missing from Bescot for the rest of the season then we can have little complaint. 

 

Following the perfect start that was Andy Rammell’s stunning left foot volley after twelve seconds we stuttered and stumbled to another penalty shoot out victory and a place in the southern area final. To be fair the referee and his partners in crime on the lines didn’t help matters but we shouldn’t have needed to worry about them.

 

A very robust and direct Cambridge side dictated the play for far too long periods and only the fact that we had the better quality players kept us in it.  The visitors line led by the apparently sought after Martin Butler weren’t intelligent or inventive enough to really trouble our defence and although they dominated parts of the game it was still a shock when they equalised.  

The aforementioned squirt barging Ada off balance and crossing deep for John Taylor to tap home from six yards out. Taylor reminds me of Tommy Tynan and the legendary AB as he seems to have been prolific in the lower division for donkeys years and unlike former partners Dublin and Claridge he is still working in the lower Nationwide divisions. He has though retained the dignity of never turning out for Villa or Wolves.

Extra time beckoned and neither side looked totally in command but that might have changed if the referee had sent off the United number six for an identical challenge to the one he was booked for two minutes earlier, however he inevitably failed us. As did the linesman who ruled a goal out because of a foul throw. How many times a season do you see a foul throw given? It was that type of night.  

Golden goal arrived without the necessary golden ending and so it was on to the evening’s raffle or penalties as they are sometimes called.  They scored,  we scored,  they scored,  we scored,  they missed,  we scored,  they scored,  we scored, they missed and we won if you follow. 

I think it’s called going the long way round.

Mon 15th February

Putting aside the trivial matter that is do we go for automatic promotion or settle for the play offs for a minute, the rather important AWS Area Semi Final takes place tomorrow night and Cambridge visit the Quadruple Towers - AKA the Bescot Advertising boards. 

 

It’s win or bust in possibly the most important game of the season so far. I’m a bag of nerves already.  We should win but I’m a touch worried.

 

Elsewhare the FA confirm that they are in secret talks with a current serving manager but the name of the target is top secret. Under no circumstances will the target be named though they have told us his initials are KK. Not a lot of clues there then. 

Sat 13th February - York City

So two iffy looking trips to Reading and York produce a maximum haul of six points.  Following the defeat a fortnight ago against Wigan we again appeared at the season’s crossroads. Yet again however we've bounced back, took the right turning and the Graydon Express rolls on. 

 

At the risk of repeating myself the character that this side possesses is unreal.  It seems that when their backs are right up against the wall and everyone is waiting for the inevitable collapse to begin they find another gem of a performance. 

 

I reckon I’ve been waiting since August for this collapse but possibly for the first time I really don’t think that it’s going to come. Now when I start believing we’re into serious times. 

 

Today we didn’t play all that well. Sure we were good enough to beat a very spirited York side but they were a bit too one dimensional to do us any real damage. 

 

It certainly helped that Dazzer’s dead ball cross sailed over everyone into the back of the net inside the first five minutes though. One nil up away from home again but I really didn’t fancy 85 minutes of so see if you can score football. 

 

To be fair we didn’t appear to sit back although York certainly pushed us back for extended periods in the first half and only a combination of good defending, hard work and lacklustre finishing saw the first half end with our lead intact.

 

The need to score again and ease the nerves was pretty evident and Andy Watson crushingly opened the second half just as Wracky had opened the first. Chasing a long Neil Pointon punt upfield he beat the defender cut inside, beat him again and curled a sweet right footer around former Spurs keeper Bobby Mimms and into the net.  A fine goal in any situation but the release of tension that came with a two goal cushion was there for all to see. 

 

The players even relaxed and for two or three brief minutes pushed the ball around with some aplomb.  Only a amazing miss by Pingu broke the rhythm.  Wrack running through the York defence and pulling the ball back for Larrusen to side foot into an empty net from five yards out. He missed and the chance took our composure with it. 

 

Had he scored then the game would have been over, as it was we'd lost the initiative and suddenly had everything to lose.  In many ways it was bit like Barry Hayles and his one on one with JW at the Memorial Ground. That afternoon we grasped the advantage and stole a game we had no right to even be in. 

 

Today we had to make sure it didn’t happen to us.

 

With sixteen minutes to go the Minstermen pulled one back. A long ball over Brissett caught us out and a cross into the box found our back four flat footed and the very impressive Cresswell reduced the deficit. 

 

From then onwards it was tin hat time as the now almost weekly onslaught began. The players sat on the edge of the box, the fans on the edge of their nerves and we attempted to hold on. Again.

 

No real scares ensued and the referee called time on a very useful win and for the second consecutive weekend we had escaped without a booking. The players were elated at full time and you can clearly see the belief that they have in each other. 

 

All in all a fine eight days work.

Fri 12th February

Tomorrow we make the trip to Bootham Crescent,  York. 

 

Avoiding defeat would be rather helpful but a win would be very nice thank-you. The need to win tomorrow was eased by last weekend’s win in Berkshire and in many ways the pressure is off to an extent tomorrow. 

 

York looked a decent side when they stole the points on a Tuesday evening back in the autumn and Richard Cresswell, who impressed with a well taken brace that night,  is up there with the top scorers in the division. York always appear to be a decent home side so tomorrow will be tough. However, with no injury & suspension worries we have to believe we can get something out of this.

Sat 6th February - Reading

A massive win, massive.  As I wrote yesterday I felt the season was at it’s crossroads and which way it went depended very much on today. 

 

Lose and we would have been swallowed up by the chasing pack and spat out the other end,  ala Stoke City. Win and that would realistically put Reading just about out of sight and send a message to one and all that we are for real. 

 

Well, we are for real. The classic away performance that is rapidly becoming a Graydon trademark was what we produced again today. Nullify the opposition attack early on, frustrate the midfield and the crowd will follow. Then seize the moment by taking your chance when it comes. 

 

All were achieved by half time and the second half was all about shape, discipline, character and bloody hard work, lots of hard work. Now of all the things you could accuse us of, the lack of shape, discipline and character are just about the last.  As for hard work? Well you show me a harder working or fitter second division side.

 

Deano won it with another cracking finish.  A clearance from Wacka and a flick from the unfit Rammell saw Keates sneaking beyond the front two. A quality chest down left the ball at the mercy of his left foot and booooooooooooooooom! the keeper had no chance.  

 

From that point on the game was a non event with the Walsall midfield stifling the Reading front two’s supply with Roper and Ada doing what Roper and Ada do.  Green when he becomes available is going to struggle to break these two up. 

 

Wrack again excelled down the right although his final ball keeps letting him down too often.  He almost scored the goal of the season though. Picking the ball up in his own half and running over half the length of the field, slipping four or five defenders before driving just over.  Rammell also hit a post as the home side lost shape and became ragged in the last fifteen minutes. 

 

Walker didn’t have a save to make in the entire game - that’s how effective we were.

 

Hello and welcome back, Mr Three Points.

Fri 5th February

We make our first visit to the Madjeski Stadium tomorrow and with a name like that Darko will probably feel a little more at home.  The Bonser Stadium doesn’t have the same ring, but the Bonser philosophy tends to get an airing every now and then. Unfortunately.

 

In reality we have to take something from tomorrow's game and to be honest I don’t really fancy us.  With Fulham and Preston beating anything in sight and Bournemouth, Gillingham and Man City closing in on us we can’t afford to lose this one. 

 

I know I’m a pessimist but we’ve been here before. I realise I should have more faith but this is Walsall I’m talking about. The bad feelings aren’t going to go away though. Apart from Richard Green we should be at full strength tomorrow assuming that Uncle Ray doesn’t do something daft like selecting Porter on the bench.

Wed 3rd February

A sigh of relief escapes following the relatively near miss that was signing Mr Simpson. After impressing in the reserves beating of Rochdale (3-0) Croatian winger Darko Mavrac puts pen to paper and adds the relatively new state to the long list of foreigners to join the famous WFC. 

Tanzania and  Sierra Leone are probably the most obscure but we’ve had Aussies, Germans, Dutch, Argies and a Cameroon international to name a few.  We’ve even got a Belgian supporters branch in Darlaston I hear.

 

The FA begin the search for a manager as Glenda and the FA part company mutually.  i.e. They told him to get lost and he said OK.

Mon 1st February

Mr Hoddle’s comments on disabled people seem to be winning the day over his apologies. No retraction of the statement means that we’ll probably soon be seeing a new fool wearing the England manager's tracksuit. Nob.