The Bitter Saddler returns

Well it has only been a matter of a few weeks since the Saddlers won league two, let the dust had not even settled before some Saddlers started to put there oar in.

The Dean Keates and Chris Westwood saga rumbled on, Keates had his best season ever, but will he repeat it. Westwood was a centre half playing at right back and might not have made the team next year despite some impressive performances. So who can blame them for taking the cash!! FFS lets move on!

Then it was time to have a go at signing two ex players in Paul Hall and Danny Sonner, who in the view of the vocal few are too old to play for Walsall….get real. We have very few experienced players since the cull at the end of the season. Including Roper who is 30 today (happy birthday big guy) and Paul and Danny we only have 6 players over 30 in our squad. Bringing in experience of league one is the right thing to do. That policy was the main difference between ourselves and MK Dons last year…guys look at the end result.

It still amazes me the number of Saddlers fans who seem to think we will compete with championship clubs over players. FFS our highest transfer fee paid was 175k to bring back Alan Buckley, just face it guys on the whole Walsall don’t do the transfer fee thing, just accept it and move on. If we do pay a fee it is for someone special like Jorge.

So with the likes of Byfield, Ricketts Frecklington et al been linked, god yes it would be wonderful to have that quality in a Walsall shirt, but I wouldn’t want it at the cost of our club, ask any Bradford or Leeds fan either would have taken a bit less spending and some steady players to ensure top flight footy. It’s a gamble lovely when and if it comes off but if you can’t afford to lose the price you pay is way too high………time for a reality check.

So lets look at it the club is at it’s most financially stable point since the collapse of itv digital , we have just won the league championship, for the first time ever we have our own training ground, we have a manager who saw that some of last seasons squad were not good enough for this forthcomming season so he got rid, a tough decission but thats management. We have a manager who has worked with young players and see’s the potential in our younger players, season ticket sales are out stripping last season. Sponsorship revenue is up, and if we find the right sponsor a new away end will be built……..how many clubs would give there right arm for that set of circumstances.

Okay I will give you we need to strenghten, but FFS it’s only June, plenty of time yet…….Don’t panic.
Regards
The Bitter Saddler

The Bitter Saddler article was post by Big No 9 if you want your say you can have a vote on our front page poll or have a word in the forums.
If you want an article published e-mail me at the address on the home page.