After a series of delays and a dodgy internet connection, Bescot Banter columnist Scott Brotherton is finally able to take a look back at Walsall's 2013/14 Sky Bet League One campaign...
Well it was another season of disappointment in the end after starting so well for Walsall. Thirteenth place hardly tells the full story though, with plenty of ups and downs leading to that mid-table finish.
August to October - Cautious Optimism
The loss of Grigg, Paterson and Brandy in the summer left many fans dreading what the new season would bring. But it began with a pleasantly surprising three wins on the spin. Replacement wide-man Milan Lalkovic netted on his Tranmere debut and James Baxendale was also in goalscoring form on the other flank.
The team were soon brought back down to earth with four consecutive losses, albeit two were in cup competitions. A 3-1 loss at Stoke in the League Cup Second Round and a heart wrenching penalties defeat to Wolves in the JPT meant Dean Smith waved goodbye to any hopes of cup glory until the FA Cup came around.
What this did do though was pave the way for some revenge and one of the most memorable Walsall wins of recent times. Andy Butler’s second-half header ousted bitter rivals Wolves at the Molineux, a moment which Saddlers’ fans will remember for years to come. Coupled with a thumping win at Crewe, and two respectable draws against Rotherham and Leyton Orient; September proved a very successful month.
October was more hit and miss but did include two wins including an impressive 3-1 triumph away at Swindon. They may have lost little ground but Walsall were still right on the fringes of the play-offs in seventh place.
November to December – Consolidating the Play-off Push
The Saddlers didn’t set the world alight in the period around Christmas but they did maintain a strong league position. A convincing 3-0 win over an abject Shrewsbury saw them into the second round of the FA Cup, where they unfortunately met the highest ranked team in the draw: Leyton Orient. They suffered a 1-0 defeat to down in London the following month.
The TV cameras also came to the Banks’s Stadium on a chilly Monday night in November and the Sky Sports audience were treated to a sterling display which saw high-flying Peterborough easily dispatched courtesy of goals from Lalkovic and Romaine Sawyers.
Other wins at Shrewsbury, this time in the league, and at home to Carlisle were tempered with disappointing defeats as Walsall’s problems with consistency reared their ugly head again. Despite these blips though they remained in the chasing pack, just four points off sixth place.
January to February – Brandy Returns and Winter Weather Hits
After being jeered on his New Years Day return to Walsall with Sheffield United, Febian Brandy shocked everyone by returning on loan from the Blades less than two weeks later. The winger had been out of favour under new boss Nigel Clough but quickly re-established himself as a fans’ favourite in Dean Smith’s team.
This seemed to give the team a second wind and they went unbeaten throughout January winning three and drawing three. As well as the victories over Sheffield and Oldham, the highlight was definitely the 5-1 demolition of Notts County. In the Meadow Lane thrashing Brandy didn’t just get his first goal since returning, but blasted in a hat-trick before the half-time whistle.
Dean Smith received the Manager of the Month award for January which might have been a curse for the Saddlers boss. Bad weather limited February to just three games, of which Walsall lost two and drew the other. Perhaps the momentum had been stunted because the play-off dream was about to collapse.
March to May - The Downward Slide
The postponed games meant a very busy and ultimately unsuccessful March. The poor run from February stretched on to nine games without a win and included defeats to the likes of Coventry, Preston and Wolves. It seemed a resurgence was on the cards when the Saddlers grabbed two wins and two clean sheets against Bradford and Shrewsbury but that was as good as it got.
April proved to be another month where they failed to notch a single win. Two draws was all they could muster as they lost three games to Port Vale, Bristol City and Stevenage. The latter was especially disappointing given that Stevenage were already relegated at this point. It showed just how much the season had petered out and how downbeat the players were now the play-offs were out of their reach.
The final game summed up the season in many ways. Colchester scored a freak goal and Walsall were unable to reply. The loss on the last day meant the Saddlers slipped to thirteenth: the first time they had occupied the bottom half of League One all season. It was such a disappointing end to a season that had promised so much.
By: Scott Brotherton.