I’m “Back In The Saddle” and hoping to take Walsall to “The Promise Land” of the Premier League as they have never been in the top flight of English football. Also, they were only 90 minutes away from Europe back in the 1983/84 season, so I am hoping that one day, the sounds of the Champions League music will echo around the Poundland Bescot Stadium…
Last episode: (FM23) Back In The Saddle – #2
ON THE PITCH
JANUARY
We go back to the top of LEAGUE TWO, following a 2-0 win over Mansfield Town. Connor Wilkinson is back amongst the goals for the Saddlers following is long absence from the first team due to injury scoring first in this game before Douglas James-Taylor sealing the win in the 92nd minute.
The FA CUP third round action takes place at the Poundland Bescot Stadium as we face Premiership side Chelsea. The Blues take an early lead, however, Jack Earing played his part in the match acting as a super sub for Walsall to come from behind to claim a draw against them and force a reply after the game ended 1-1.
League Two saw us travel to play Tranmere Rovers away and this match ended in a 1-1 draw. Both sides could and should have won it, if either team knew the offside rule, which I think cancelled three goals out if I am right. Ex-Walsall player scored for The Superwhites before Jamile Matt seized on a mistake to level the match and we move into 2nd place in the league.
FA CUP third replay at Stamford Bridge went in the way of the Premier League side Chelsea. I knew this was going to happen as we lost 4-2 on the night. They were too strong for us in this tie but still managed to score two goals against them, thanks to Jamile Matt and Isaac Hutchinson finding the net the shed end.
A strong and powerful performance in LEAGUE TWO as we brush aside Swindon Town 3-1. Matty Stevens scoring his first league goal for the club following his long absence due to injury as on-loanee Alex Robinson also got his first goal for the Saddlers before veteran Andy Williams finished off the scoring.
In the next game, we travel to The County Ground to face Swindon Town, hold on back to back games against the Robins? Yes, you read right, I think this was arrangement from earlier in the season and yes we won 3-2, this time. Matty Stevens got his second and third goal for the club before Douglas James-Taylor sealed the win. Ex-Walsall on-loanee Tyrese Shade scored for the Robins.
Connor Wilkinson brace helped us move back to the top of the league in the 2-1 win at home against Bradford City.
FEBRUARY
We face the Cobblers in the next match and in real life I actually took my boy to his first awayday and it was this fixture and it finished in a 0-0 draw which we slighty boring but the atmosphere was class and he loved. Back to FM and this match finished 1-1 with new signing in the January window from Cambridge Jack Lankester getting this first goal for the Saddlers.
As soon as we are top, we lose it…Defeated by Leyton Orient 1-0 and ended our 9 game undefeated run. Also, super Tommy Knowles is out of action for the next god knows when due to an ACL. What is it with Walsall players and ACL injuries. Joss Labadie been out all season with one and is out of contract this season, however I have a lot of respect for Joss so I will be giving him a new contract.
We beat Colchester United 3-1 with goals from Jack Lankester, Yann Songo’o and Douglas James-Taylor meaning we have won three out of the five away games in the league.
We welcome Welsh side Newport County to the Poundland Bescot Stadium and send them back to Wales with no points as we beat them 2-1 as Jamile Matt and outgoing in the summer midfielder Jacob Maddox both finding the back of the net.
Top of the league, even after being begged back from three one up to draw 3-3 against Hartlepool United. I swear, FM peeps must have written this in the coding as it happened in real life too. In that game, we were winning and then they scored two very late goals to rescue a point. In this match it happened much earlier but still, freaking as that this game and the Northampton game finished by the same score-line. Jamile Matt hat-trick for the Saddlers in this game on FM.
LEAGUE TWO TABLE
So, after two updates previously in this season, we were in second place and now in top spot. However with only 12 games to go can we win the league? I would still be happy if we finish in 2nd or 3rd place but it would be sweet to win this league title for the third time in our history.
OFF THE PITCH
Summer Outgoing And Recalled
So, in the summer we will be losing Ex-Chelsea youth player Jacob Maddox after only one season as he decided to join a non-league Portuguese side who in fact as offered him mental wages. But still luck in the future and he will still play him until the summer.
I also decided to let Jackson Smith (GK) and Robbie Willmott (MID) rejoin their parent clubs Wolves and Newport respectively to free up some wages as Smith played once but Willmott did play 19 times but only as a sub.
New Signings, Three Of Them
Firstly, went back to Cambridge and brought in winger Jack Lankester for £300K. He has decent potential to be a Championship player. Also, brought in the following players in on loan for the rest of the season Alex Robertson (Man City), as someone over in a discord recommended him and then on deadline day, I thought I would strengthen the forward line by getting on (Arsenal) forward Khayon Edwards, who in fact is costing me nothing which is a bonus.
Lankester, has already performed and got a couple of goals already so hoping Robertson and Edwards and play key parts in the final run in of the season.
FINAL WORDS
Still strong and finally in top spot at a blog write up. Let’s hope we can finish the season strong and hoping we take one of them automatic places and get back into League One.
In the meantime, please feel free to leave a comment with any feedback and questions and don’t forget to check out all the other blogs on here and you can follow me on Twitter here.
See you next time and thank you for reading…
CoxieFM 