please log in to view this image Walsall Info Capacity: 11,300 (all seated) Address: Bescot Crescent, Walsall, WS1 4SA Telephone: 01922 622 791 Fax: 01922 613 202 Ticket Office: 01922 651 414/416 Pitch Size: 110 x 73 yards Club Nickname: The Saddlers Year Ground Opened: 1990 Shirt Sponsors: HomeServe Kit Manufacturer: Carbrini Home Kit: Red and Black Away Kit: Blue and White Official Site: http://www.saddlers.co.uk/
THREE TO WATCH: WALSALL Take a look at some of the potential threats in the ranks of Saturday's opponents, Walsall F.C. Erhun Oztumer - Midfield The midfielder is Walsall's leading goalscorer this campaign, with nine goals to his name. Following a lengthy stay with the youth set up at Charlton Athletic, and a season with Fisher Athletic, Oztumer returned to Turkey and joined Manisaspor in 2008. Despite featuring predominately for the youth team at Manisaspor, in 2009 the midfielder moved to Sivasspor, who were also in the Turkish top flight and put pen to paper on his first professional contract. Despite never playing for the first team during his time at Sivasspor, the midfielder had an impressive goal return for the reserve team and in 2011 Oztumer left Sivasspor to join Anadolu Üsküdar, in the fourth tier of Turkish football and sampled his first taste of regular first-team football. Before the start of the 2012–13 season, Oztumer returned to England, joining Isthmian League side Dulwich Hamlet. He went on to score over 60 goals and helped Dulwich won promotion to the Isthmian League Premier Division. In June 2014, the midfielder joined Peterborough United for an undisclosed fee and suffered an injury during pre-season that delayed his debut for the Posh until the start of October 2014. The midfielder joined Walsall in the summer and scored on his debut in a 3–1 win over AFC Wimbledon. Simeon Jackson - Striker The striker began his career with spells playing semi-professionally, before making his name with Rushden & Diamonds, who were in the Conference during his time with the club. His impressive goal scoring return caught the attention of Gillingham, with the striker making the step-up to League Two in 2008 and went on to score the club's winning goal in the 2009 play-off Final at Wembley. In 2010 Jackson joined Norwich City, and was part of the side that won promotion to the Premier League. He fell out of favour at the club during the 2012–13 season, and opted to join German club Eintracht Braunschweig who were newly promoted to the Bundesliga, but returned to England citing that he needed regular game time. Season long spells at Millwall, Coventry and Barnsley followed for the forward, who joined Blackburn Rovers in January 2016 on a short term deal, going on to make just shy of twenty appearances, before joining Walsall in the summer. After scoring a brace on his debut for Walsall against AFC Wimbledon, the striker has added another three goals to take his tally for five this season, with his last goal coming against his former club, Millwall F.C, in October. The striker also has international experience, making just under fifty appearances for the Canadian national team. In 2011 the striker was shortlisted for the Canadian Player of the Year award and to date has scored six goals for his country. Amadou Bakayoko - Striker After beginning his youth career in Dutch football the striker move he moved to England in his mid-teens and was awarded a scholarship at Walsall. After prolific goalscoring at youth and reserve team level, Bakayoko was offered a one-year professional contract at Walsall in December 2013 and went on to make his professional debut in the April in a defeat to Port Vale at Vale Park During the opening months of the 2014/15 season, Bakayoko joined Conference Premier side Southport on a month's loan and scored on his debut during Southport's victory over Braintree Town. The striker's loan spell at Southport was followed by a brief spell on loan at both AFC Telford and Worcester. He scored his first goals for Walsall during a hat-trick in an EFL Trophy tie against Grimsby Town back in August and progressed to score his first league goal in a 3–2 win over Shrewsbury Town in October.
By Gerry Prewett Bristol Rovers topsy-turvy season continues as they head up the M5 to face a Walsall team on a high after delivering a spanking to Division leaders Sheffield United last weekend. Whilst Rovers self destructed at Fleetwood, the Saddlers ran out 4-1 winners against the Blades. The Blades boasted the best away record in League One and had a four-point gap at the top. By the end of the day the West Midland team completed their third victory over the steel city team, having previously won at Bramall Lane in both the league and Checkatrade Trophy. United almost took the lead within the first four minutes, Billy Sharp rattling the bar from just 12 yards. The leaders were made to rue their misfortune when a minute later, Amadou Bakayoko's shot into the bottom corner from Joe Edwards' through ball gave the Saddlers the lead. Six minutes later parity was restored when Jack O'Connell’s close range header found the back of the net. The teams went into the half-time break level but within a quarter of an hour of the second half Jason McCarthy played a ball off Bakayoko to stroke a shot past Simon Moore at his near post. Edwards doubled the lead on 67 minutes, fooling Moore with another near-post finish. The United custodian compounded his error-strewn day 10 minutes later when he brought down George Dobson for a penalty which Erhun Oztumer coolly converted. In total Rovers and Walsall have met 97 times, with the Gas having won 39 games, the Saddlers 37 and just 21 draws. So, lots of games and a very close record, with Rovers just shading it. During that time there have been some remarkable sequences of games. Going right back to the first game, which Rovers won 5-2 on 27 August 1927 in Division Three (South), there was an all winning sequence for the Pirates of 6 games. That sequence was broken by a 0-0 draw on 30 April 1930 at Fellows Park. The Saddlers won 3 of the next 4 games. Between 27th March 1965 and 29th October 1973, Rovers paid 14 visits to Fellows Park and won just once! Stuart Taylor and Ray Graydon (who went on to manage both teams) secured a 2-1 win on 24th April 1971. During that same spell Rovers suffered an amazing reverse when they were leading 3-1 with 15 minutes to go, on 19th March 1973. A bomb scare caused the game to be halted. Then in the remaining 15 minutes Walsall scored 3 times to win the game 4-3! Rovers’ longest unbeaten streak was at Eastville between 4th September 1948 and 2nd November 1963, a total of 7 games with 4 Rovers wins and 3 draws. The game that broke that sequence was on 16th March 1965. Walsall won 1-0 and the newspaper report of the goal revealed that "Harassed by lanky Alan Clarke, Rovers keeper Bernard Hall lost possession after being lured yards from his goal. The ball rolled to Jimmy McMorran who chipped it back into an empty net from 25 yards". Rovers gained their revenge just over 6 months later. Manager Bert Tann had complained that the team weren't taking their chances, but in this game they made 4 and scored 3. Walsall winger Colin Taylor had Doug Hillard on the rack for most of the game but stand-in Centre Forward Trevor Meath was wasteful with the three chances that came his way. Bobby Jones in the 35th and 77th minutes and Harold Jarman with an 85th minute header were Rovers' scorers on the day to give the Gas a 3-0 victory. The last times the teams met in the Midlands Rovers were sent packing having suffered a 6-1 defeat on 29 January 2011; it was a victory that took them off the bottom of the League One table. Andy Butler headed in to put the hosts ahead on 17 minutes and Matthew Gill smashed in a low shot to double the advantage on 34 minutes. Julian Gray volleyed in to put the Saddlers 3-0 up at half-time, before Jeff Hughes pulled one back just after the break with a low strike. Matt Richards struck from 25 yards to restore Walsall's lead almost immediately. The rout was completed with a 69-minute Alex Nicholls volley and a second Butler header just four minutes later. Scunthorpe loanee Scott Laird believes the Walsall squad is the most talented he has played with. The 28-year-old, has won back-to-back promotions with Stevenage before then helping Preston into the Championship in 2015. Before having to take a brief sabbatical at his home club the defender revealed, “I told the lads when I left ‘you are the most talented group of players I have played with’. That is over my 12-year career. What they now need to do is believe that. When they do, you can see that we are a very good side. But you can also see when they are a bit down or not quite on it.” “We need to strike that balance, we need to find that consistency because if we do we can challenge in this league. We all know how crazy League One is. Win a couple, like we did in October, and you a right up there, lose a couple and you start to go in the wrong direction.” “We have got a great side here. I know the gaffer is trying to make a few more signings. And I think we can really kick on in the second half of the season.” Laird’s view was echoed by Amadou Bakayoko the young striker said, “We are a group that really tries to encourage one another. It’s great to be a part of because the atmosphere in the camp is really good. That’s important because the more everyone is together, the easier it is to click on the pitch.” “We know it’s been an up-and-down season. But we have felt for while the team is really close to clicking. We have worked on a lot of different things. Now we have to keep going because we have found our feet. We are determined to get better and entertain the fans more because they deserve it.” “Things have been going well for me but I have to keep going. God willing, the goals will continue to come. But it’s about hard work first and foremost. I can see a big difference in myself now to where I was at the start of the season. I have learnt a lot. I felt people hadn’t seen enough of me but now I’m starting to show what I can do.”
If DC wont pick the players he wants gone, then I guess the team will be.... Using 442 .......................Lumley...................... J.Clarke..Partington..Lockyer..Brown Bodin....O.Clarke.....Lines....Montano ...............Taylor....Harrison............... Subs: Hodges Leadbitter (if returned from injury) Mansell Sinclair Moore Gaffney James Or Using 352 .........................Lumley........................ .........Partington..Lockyer..Brown......... Bodin.Sinclair..O.Clarke..Lines.Montano .................Taylor....Harrison................. Subs: Hodges J.Clarke Mansell Broom Moore Gaffney James
Lol still the same **** defence apart from Partington DC got a serious love in with Brown and Lockyer
Rovers visit the Banks's Stadium to take on Walsall F.C in SkyBet League One.# Team News: Rovers are without Peter Hartley who is the only long term injury at the club. Darrell's View: "The results away from home are not what we expect and it is the reason that we are not in the top six if I'm honest, because our home form has been fantastic now for two-and-a-half-years. "We had eleven away wins last season and I think it has been a mixture of things away from home this season. We have been a little bit unfortunate in games, but certainly, our standards have dropped of late on the road. "The results away from home have been disappointing and will look to put that right Saturday." Opposition: Walsall are currently 14th in SkyBet League One, coming off the back of their 4-1 victory at home to Sheffield United last weekend. Dangerman - Erhun Oztumer: The midfielder is Walsall's leading goalscorer this campaign, with nine goals to his name and scored against Rovers at the Mem earlier this season. Following a lengthy stay with the youth set up at Charlton Athletic, and a season with Fisher Athletic, Oztumer returned to Turkey and joined Manisaspor in 2008. Despite featuring predominately for the youth team at Manisaspor, in 2009 the midfielder moved to Sivasspor, who were also in the Turkish top flight and put pen to paper on his first professional contract. Despite never playing for the first team during his time at Sivasspor, the midfielder had an impressive goal return for the reserve team and in 2011 Oztumer left Sivasspor to join Anadolu Üsküdar, in the fourth tier of Turkish football and sampled his first taste of regular first-team football. Before the start of the 2012–13 season, Oztumer returned to England, joining Isthmian League side Dulwich Hamlet. He went on to score over 60 goals and helped Dulwich won promotion to the Isthmian League Premier Division. In June 2014, the midfielder joined Peterborough United for an undisclosed fee and suffered an injury during pre-season that delayed his debut for the Posh until the start of October 2014. The midfielder joined Walsall in the summer and scored on his debut in a 3–1 win over AFC Wimbledon. Last TimeOut: Erhun Öztümer's first-half goal at the Mem was cancelled out by a Matty Taylor penalty, as the sides drew 1-1 back in September. Tickets: No tickets will be available on the day of the fixture at the Banks's Stadium. Over 2,000 fans will make the trip to support Darrell Clarke's men. Betting: League sponsors SkyBet offer the following Betting Preview for the match. 'Bristol Rovers are 7/5 favourites to take all three points from Saturday's Sky Bet League One trip to Walsall. The hosts are 15/8, wit the draw 12/5. Victory for the Pirates by a 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 margin is 5/2 in Sky Bet's Correct Score Group Betting, while it's 7/1 for a win by exactly two goals. Fifteen-goal striker Matthew Taylor is a warm 7/2 favourite in the first goalscorer market, and a tempting odds-against quote of 5/4 to find the back of the net at any time during the game.' Keeping Up With The Game: Full match commentary of Rovers game with Walsall can be heard through Gas PlayerHD. Supporters can access our LIVE match coverage by clicking here. Alternatively, stay tuned to the club’s social media outlets. Bristol Rovers found on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your match day fix and make sure you use #BristolRovers!
