[jjamez]

Huddersfield Town ride into Walsall looking to make it 5 wins from 5 when they meet in the League Cup second round tie. Town will be hoping to avoid saddlesore as they aim to progress to the third round in what seems to be years, in fact the last time they made it that far was in the first season in the Prem, when a second string side was knocked out by Crystal Palace. The furthest the club has ever got in the competition is the semi finals, which is no mean feat, but that was back in the 1967/68 season when they succumbed to Arsenal, otherwise there has been a couple of quarter final appearances, one in the 1982/83 season, again falling at the hands of Arsenal, the other in the 1999/2000 season when extra time was needed for the crazy gang of Wimbledon to progress.

Apparently we also made the third round in 2013/14 season where we lost away at Hull, Town fielded a side containing Danny Carr, Oscar Gobern and Jake Carroll, with Cristian Lopez being one of the players to come off the bench, current assistant manager Martin Paterson led the forward line that evening.
For those interested in who some of those I mentioned are or what they have achieved in their career, here's a bit of a low down for you;

Danny Carr- The Trinbagan international was plucked out of non league by Town from Dulwich Hamlet. He began his career at Reading but after being released without making a professional appearance for the Royals, made the move to Eastbourne Borough. He only played 3 games for the side in his sole season there and moved to Dulwich where he had a happier time, scoring 25 goals for the side and attracting the attention of clubs further up the pyramid. He had trials at Leeds, Liverpool and Charlton, before making the move to Town. He only made 2 appearances for the club and had a number of fruitless loans away and was ultimately released by the club. He would go on to have a short stay at Cambridge coupled with loans to Aldershot and Woking, but ended up back at Dulwich looking to find what had made him successful in the first place. He finished his time at Dulwich with a loan to Leatherhead before making a surprise move to Karlstad in Sweden, scoring 8 in 19 for the side earning him a move back closer to home as he joined Irish side Shamrock Rovers. He had two years at the Rovers, scoring 16 goals in his 57 appearances. This saw him called up to his national side as well as earn a move out into Europe once again, this time to Cyprus to play for Apollon Limassol, he would make 4 appearances for the Cypriot club, before heading back to Scandinavia to play for RoPS in Finland, interesting fact, they play their home games within the Artic Circle of Lapland and count Rudolph as one of their famous fans. He only stayed for 7 games before once again hopping onto a plane, and once again seeking a temperature rise, as this time he moved to Bengaluru United of India, it would once again be brief as England came a calling and he headed to Welling. Another brief stay ensued and he moved back to Shelbourne of Ireland, he made 27 appearances in a single season for them before moving to Sevenoaks last season. This season he will be turning out for Sheppey United in the Isthmian League at the ripe old age of 30.

Oscar Gobern- Probably the most recognisable of the players mentioned, with the midfielder making 71 appearances for Town over a 4 year stay at the club. He joined from Southampton, although the club paid more than they thought they would when the Saints took the transfer to a tribunal as he had come through their academy. He made 21 appearances for the Saints prior to joining Town, whilst at Town he had a short loan at Chesterfield before making a surprise move to QPR after a successful trial, he made a sole league cup appearance before going on loan to Doncaster and eventually signing for Mansfield but could only manage 9 appearances there before moving north of the border to Ross County, he would make no appearances there before moving south to Yeovil. He would be at the Glovers for just one season making 11 appearances before heading to Eastleigh for a season. He would make 44 appearances in a single season there before heading even further south to Dover, where he stayed for 2 years before moving to Havant and Waterloovile. Although he his now currently without a club and still probably most famous for his red card tackle whilst at Southampton.

Cristian Lopez- Now if you thought that Danny Carr had a journey man career, then you haven't seen anything yet. Although this guy did have quite a bit of success after leaving Town. He began his career at Alicante in Spain, a hotspot for Brits going to Benidorm. He would move to the capital to play 2 seasons at Real Madrid B scoring 10 goals for the side before leaving on loan to Valencia B. 11 goals in 16 games was enough for Los Che to turn that deal permanent and he would play a further season there scoring another 11 goals but in 31 games before moving to Atletico Baleares on the island of Mallorca. He would score 9 in 35 for the side in his single season there before being an exotic signing for Huddersfield. From memory he was as technical as we had expected given his background, but wasn't strong enough or quick enough for the English game, let alone the championship. He only made 2 appearances for Town before having loans at Shrewsbury and Northampton but could only muster one goal in a combined 8 games for the two sides. He would be released by Town and head back to his homeland to play for Burgos. His scoring touch was regained and he managed 13 goals in 36 games for the side before a surprise move to Romanian side CFR Cluj, there he scored 16 in 44 and would score in the Romanian League Cup final. He made the move to France after that to RC Lens, spending 2 years at the French side scoring 26 goals in 63 appearances, becoming a fan favourite, with the supporters campaigning for him to get a new deal, but instead he would move to fellow French side Angers. His season there would be a struggle as he would manage just a couple of goals in 19 appearances, eventually leaving the club to move to UAE side Hatta, he would score 5 goals in his season there before Spain came calling again in the form of Las Palmas, he would fail to find the back of the net in his 10 games there before leaving to join Cypriot club Aris, but would score once in 2 seasons before returning once again to Spain, bouncing around in the lower leagues.

For this game I'd expect a couple of changes, Herbie Kane and Brodie Spencer look likely to miss out with Kane missing saturdays game against Shrewsbury with a groin injury and looking likely to be out for a few weeks, Spencer came off with a shoulder injury and it has yet to be said as to the severity of it, but it would probably be most prudent to let him miss it regardless. Matty Pearson came on to replace him but he started against Morecambe, so it could lead to Lees starting, or maybe an appearance for Ollie Turton or Josh Ruffles. Chris Maxwell will likely start in between the sticks, Michal Helik only played 45 minutes in the last round, but that was possibly due to the tie being as good as over already. In midfield it would be nice to see Kasumu and Iorpenda get a run out, although the third midfield man will have to be one who played against Shrewsbury, personally i'd say Wiles, but reckon that Duff will go with Hogg. At wingbacks, i'd be expecting Headley and Sorensen to line up there, whilst like Snooty said in the Shrewsbury thread, it would be nice to see Healey and Koroma start up top. I would say it is highly unlikely that we see another through the door before the game and I'm unsure who else is in the squad that would be options, maybe Pat Jones or Kian Harratt, but i don't see where they fit other than the bench. Between now and the end of the window i personally see Ruffles leaving along with possible loans for the two other younger players mentioned.

Onto the hosts, the Saddlers, managed by the aptly named Matt err Sadler, have started their league two campaign fairly well, currently sitting third with two wins and one defeat. They lost on the weekend 1-0 away to Tranmere, prior to that they had started the season with a 1-0 win at home to Morecambe thanks to a goal from defender Taylor Allen, and a 4-0 win away at Swindon, with Allen once again being on the scoresheet along with experienced former Forest Green striker Jamille Matt, striker Josh Gordon and the evergreen Uncle Albert Adomah . In their round one tie they faced league one side Exeter at the Bescot Stadium, with the tie finishing 1-1 after 90 minutes, the west midland side winning 4-3 on penalties, with Jamie Jells scoring the goal for the league two side.
Once again i'm clueless on who to watch, but Jamille Matt has been around the block a few times and will know how to handle himself against our experienced/aging back line, Josh Gordon likewise has been around for a while, having played 130 games for the Saddlers, scoring 23 goals in that period, he is currently into his third stint with the club, having joined originally from Leicester back in 2018. After 3 years at the club he moved on to Barrow before heading to Burton Albion. He spent last season on loan at the Bescot Stadium before rejoining permanently this summer.

In order to get to the ground, you have a few different methods of driving to the ground, you can go down the M1 down to the A38 in Derby, then stick on the A38 until it becomes the A5127, then it is a few B roads until you arrive at your destination. If you go that way, enjoy going around the outskirts of Derby at that time! The other option would be to drive over the Pennines on the M62 and then down the M6 down to the A461 also known as Bescot Road, you will be able to follow that all the way to the ground, it is also the quickest of the two options by about half an hour, you will have to navigate Manchester but it should be reyt. Train is another option, but you might have to depart from Wakefield instead and head to Birmingham, before getting another train or bus into Walsall, which for a Tuesday night game, in a cup, when it is also on that new Sky Sports + thingy if it works, probably isn't worth it. If you do decide to go, then kudos to you, i think i might wait for the Brum or Wrecsam game.

Sorry for being brief and no piccywitches, i'll try to do it when i get on to my computer which might be tomorrow or Tuesday.

[Lord Snooty]

Nice one, jjamez.

I hadn't realised Uncle Albert had gone there. He always played well against us in the past. Hope he's well past his best now at 36 years old.

[theo_luddite]

Another well researched thread jjamez.

If I can be just a weeeee bit picky, Finland isn't considered to be part of Scandinavia, that's Norway, Sweden and Denmark according to the Swedes, Danes and Norse I've met on business trips to that part of the world. It is considered to be Nordic, which is perhaps where the confusion comes from, but it's mainly considered to be in the Baltic region by the folk that live slightly to the west of them. That said, Wiki says that only Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania make up the Baltic states, but other Google searches also include Finland. Just to add to the confusion, whilst the languages of Norway, Sweden and Denmark are very similar, the differences sometimes being as much just dialect rather than a full on change of language, Finnish is is very similar to Hungarian. How did that happen?

Any road, back to the match. If you are driving up or down the M6 get off at J9. Head towards Walsall, hang a right at the first roundabout then another right shortly after you pass Morrisons, which is built where Bescot Stadium Fellows Park used to be. There's some limited parking at the gound, but the shopping centre car park next to the ground used to allow match day parking, might still do and nearby Bescot Station car park is free.

Coming down the A38, you might be a little, but not much, better off going across the A5 to the A461, at the wonderfully named Muckley Corner, than going down the Birmingham Road. It's 6 of one and half-a-dozen of the other when you get to the ring road which way round is best from there. Either way there's frequent changes of speed limits, speed camera's that may or may not be working and more traffic lights and roundabouts than you can shake a stick at.

Nearest boozers to the ground on the Wa'sall side of the M6 are The Sir Charles Napier and the Bradford Arms (where else would it be?). On t'other side of the M6 there's a fair selection in Wednesbury. PS - The Earl of Bradford owns huge tracts of land in the West Midlands, including Weston Park where he hosts what used to be The V Music Festival and is now Camp Bestival. It's a bit like that Devonshire bloke that owns huge bits of Yorkshire and Derbyshire, Why they can't live in the bits they are named after has always confused me.

You just missed it by the way



'elf and safety.
Mind your heads - the away stand nearest the M6 has the largest 2 screen electronic advertising hoarding in Europe on it's roof. Just sayiing.
Mind your pint - the refreshments for the away fans are sold beneath the stand to your left as you look at the pitch from behind the goal. It's about a third of the way between the right wing corner flag (when attacking) and the goal. Badly mis-hit shots from outside and inside the box are known to rocket into there there on a regular basis, causing no end of spilled beers, dropped pies and black eyes for the unsuspecting.

[Lord Snooty]

Nice bit of Nordic knowledge there, theo.

I've never been to the Bescot. Went to Fellows Park a few times when Mick Buxton was our leader and I travelled to a lot of away games.

[theo_luddite]

Morrisons is on what was Fellows Park not Bescot you numpty theo

Been to both several times Snoots. One of the few places, as it's close, where I've been able over the years to rock up on my way home from a customer visit, or on my lunch break, and pick up a ticket for the away end without having to bother those nice chaps and chapesses in the Town ticket office. Not sure if I'll go tomorrow yet as I'm taking my friend to her quack's for another check-up late tomorrow afternoon. Two steps forward, one to the side, one backwards and another fall on her arse again at the moment. Coming sooner or, hopefully a helluva lot, later to some of us on here unfortunately.

---

With regards to a certain Mr Noni Madueke's of the parish of Chelsea's allegedly "typed in the wrong reply box" (well, haven't we all?) comment about Wolverhampton, I thought the same before I moved down here. 30+ years later some of it is a bit better.

[themaclad]

Never lost or conceded a goal at Fellows Park and that includes an FA Trophy win between Chorley and Wimbledon(Plough Lane originals) Chorley won 2-0, never got anything at the Bescot.

[theo_luddite]

Don't forget The Right Reverend Peter Hart, former Town skipper of Mr. Buxton's title winners and scorer of the most specacular own goal against Town ever in the final away game at Hereford who eventually jumped ship to play for Walsall. A spectacular waist high hooked attempt at a back-pass from the half-way line that sailed over keeper Andy Rankin, who had replaced the very popular Alan Starling in goal during the season and even he wouldn't have flown high enough to stop it - for you youths. He later became Vicar of a number of Parishes in these here parts and is now happily retired, so Town fans can no longer remind him at the end of every wedding and christening service that they were there that day. There must have been 10,000 of us that have apparently tapped him on the shoulder, or so it seemed to him. Never met him personally. So near, yet so far.

[Lord Snooty]

I were there, theo. Great day after all those years of grot in the 70s.

[theo_luddite]

Good job we won though wan' it? Unbeaten run after Pompey leathered us for the 2nd time that season snatched us the title. We're back to try and win the only Pot we've got missing in the Leagues. We won't win this cup this season tho', no matter how far we go.

[WakeyTerrier]

All change for tonight then or near enough?
Maxwell

Pearson, Helik, Lees

Sorensen, Iorpenda, Kasumu, Wiles, Headley

Koroma, Healey

Ok, 7 changes from Saturdays starting XI. Any advance on that, is Turton fit?

I still expect us to have too much for Walsall and for the unbeaten run to continue.