View from the opposition – Walsall 3 February 2009
A bit about you:
Name: Neil Ravenscroft
Current home town: Walsall Birthplace: Walsall
How long have you supported your team? 45 years
Overview of your club:
Favourite thing about your home ground: The new (well, fairly new) stand. Comfortable, plenty of leg room and a wonderful view of the motorway when the hoof ball specialists come to play.
Favourite match played by your team & why: League Cup, 1983, won 2 – 1 at Highbury. We completely played them off the park by playing football.
Favourite player of all time who played for your club: Colin Taylor – left winger from the sixties who is our equal top scorer ever. Barrel chested, ginger top and a shot like a piledriver. Left the club twice for decent money, only to come back again…
About our forthcoming match against you:
Your favourite current player in your squad and why? Still Rhys Weston. Now having to play at centre half because of injuries, was immense last weekend when marking Beckford out of the game. Still should be back in the Welsh squad!
Player in your squad we should most fear and why? Of those fit and available to play, Jabo Iberhe, who is no nonsense, quick and powerful. He gave the Leeds defence a torrid time last weekend – they looked shell shocked at the end.
Player in our squad you most fear and why? Matty Fryatt – apart from the fact that players always score against their old teams, he’s a class act anyway and is now beginning to fulfil the promise I always thought he had.
Up and coming prospect in your squad? Our young midfielder, Richard Taundry. Another player who suffered from being played out of position by the hapless Jimmy Mullen, he was another who excelled last Saturday.
Where do you think you'll finish this season? Mid table, as I think we lost too much ground under Mullen. The first XI was always capable of challenging for a play off spot, but the squad is weak.
How do you think you'll do against us? I'm looking forward to this as a real test of the new management team. We got our first home win under Hutchings last weekend against Leeds, but, to be honest, I didn't think they looked anything special. I'd be looking for a point here, but, if you don't play to your full capability, we're more than capable of turning you over!
Sincere thanks from all at Foxes Trust to Neil for stepping in at short notice when the promised article from a fellow Walsall fan never materialised!!!