In the latest of his weekly columns, Scott Brotherton takes a look at tomorrows Black Country Derby;
When the Saddlers conquered Wolves at the Molineux earlier this season it was one of the greatest days of many fans’ lives. To defeat your rivals is one thing, but on their own turf and against all odds is truly special.
However, if Walsall were to do the double and beat them at a sold out Banks’s Stadium it would be unbelievable. The supporters make no secret of how much a win over Wolves would mean and it would probably be the greatest win of the decade to date.
Let’s face it, barring disaster Wolves will be back in the Championship next year. This is likely to be the last time the two sides will go up against each other in a competitive match for some time. And it’s one win each so far this season with Wolves agonisingly knocking Dean Smith’s men out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on penalties, before Andy Butler’s now legendary header clinched a 1-0 win in the league.
The Saddlers fans love to get one over on the Wolves. That is obvious. But Wolves fans will want to win this one more than they let on. Talk to them and you will hear that it is ‘just another game’ but make no mistake, losing to little Walsall on their own ground will have hurt a lot and they WILL want revenge.
Current form says there is only going to be one winner. Kenny Jackett’s Wolves are top of the League One tree, winning their last seven; scoring 18 and conceding only one in the process. In contrast Walsall have lost their last three, and are without a win since their 5-1 hammering of Notts County in January.
It’s rare that a derby game is as simple as that though and the Walsall players will all be massively up for the contest. The fans have been urged to create a red sea of noise to spur on the players, so here’s hoping for another memorable win which will go down in Walsall history.
By: Scott Brotherton