Walsall Wednesdays

Super Kevs! Who would have thought that when Walsall needed help the most, it would come in the form of Kevin Harper? Not me that`s for sure. After the bottle throwing incident at Bescot when Harper returned to Walsall with Portsmouth back in 2004, I would not have thought that Harper would even contemplate a return to the red of the Saddlers. Then again, Martin Butler returned and fans can now be heard chanting: “Butler is a Saddler, Butler is a Saddler, nah nah nah nah, hey, nah nah nah nah nah.” Maybe if Harper returns on a more permanent deal then the song would be re-written. He and DD have ruled out a permanent deal thus far, but I can reveal that this is never the case in football. One answer leads to another truth, as that answer is generally twaddle. Harper himself has declared he is leaving Stoke at the end of the season, with Bescot his likely destination at the moment. Also, a quick mention for the influential Kevin Cooper, who continues the former Wolves link that has been the case with some of the signings at Bescot in the past few years. I always thought that he would be a good signing for Walsall, but I never thought he would drop down two divisions. What a professional! The Super Kevs will no doubt be back in action come Saturday`s trip to Darlington, which will be one of the toughest games of the season. We should nick the three points though.

Now for a quick word on the remainder of the season. HELP!!! I call on all teams who are to play Hartlepool, Swindon, Lincoln, MK Dons, and especially Stockport to go all guns blazing and beat them, because having looked at Walsall`s fixtures, there could be another twist at the top of L2. The next four games after the Darlo match sees the visit of Chester to the Bescot; easy three points. Then comes the hard part, trips to Wycombe and MK Dons (live on Sky Sports by the way). Finally a home game with Accrington should also bring three more points, but the season can be won and lost with the type of opposition. Yikes!!! However, the added quality of Harper and Cooper can only prove to make a difference in the coming games, as there will be more service to the strikers, and Butler will start to score on a regular basis, as was seen at the start of the season before his form fizzled out.

Added quality, well done DD. Although, there is one burning question. What about Darren Wrack? DD has been waiting for him to return to action for a long while, but with Harper, Cooper and Wright ahead to him in the wings berth, questions will be raised as to Wrack`s future at Walsall. I fear the worst, as I do not want him to leave, but his number could be up as a Saddlers player because he has returned from injury, seeing the pitch very rarely in the process. DD, I appeal to you, do not get rid of Wrack!