[Waller is my hero]

So, will it be one more game as Cookie lays the groundwork for a serious assault on the League Two title? Or one more game for a great day out at Wembley and a shot at promotion to League One?

There’s no denying that yesterday’s performance was disappointing. But it's behind us now — we move forward. What the game did show, however, was the next challenge in our progression under Paul Cook. The ability to break down well-drilled, defensive sides like Walsall is key. They didn’t allow us to play, and we allowed them to dictate the tempo — something PC will know we must reverse. We should be the ones in control.

While promotion would be fantastic, I do wonder if it might come a bit too soon. To truly compete in League One, the squad would need significant strengthening — not just numbers, but real quality. That said, I have no doubt that we would bring that quality in, if the time comes.

On the other hand, if we don’t go up this season — however frustrating that may be — it might not be the worst outcome. It gives us more time to build, to become the team others look up to. A team known for its talent, ambition, and progress. With our growing support base, that future isn’t far off.

Let’s not forget where we were 4 or 5 years ago. Look how far we've come. Perspective matters. I’ve always believed that everything happens for a reason.

Whatever happens next, the decisions facing the club this summer will be crucial — big questions, important answers.

Still, maybe Friday brings a reversal of fortunes and we cruise to a 3-0 win. We can certainly hope.

Agent Waller, signing off.

[s42blue]

Agreed ⬆️. For all the resident idiot’s moaning of top 7 being the minimum expectation…the clearly stated in public aim of the Kirk’s was top half finish. You know, the ones who put their money where their mouth is. Unlike some. .

I’m told we’ll have a very strong recruitment drive commensurate to whichever league we’re in to achieve either promo to L1 or being able to compete in L1.

[stevie_b]

Waller is my hero, on 12 May 2025 - 12:03 PM, said:

So, will it be one more game as Cookie lays the groundwork for a serious assault on the League Two title? Or one more game for a great day out at Wembley and a shot at promotion to League One?

There’s no denying that yesterday’s performance was disappointing. But it's behind us now — we move forward. What the game did show, however, was the next challenge in our progression under Paul Cook. The ability to break down well-drilled, defensive sides like Walsall is key. They didn’t allow us to play, and we allowed them to dictate the tempo — something PC will know we must reverse. We should be the ones in control.

While promotion would be fantastic, I do wonder if it might come a bit too soon. To truly compete in League One, the squad would need significant strengthening — not just numbers, but real quality. That said, I have no doubt that we would bring that quality in, if the time comes.

On the other hand, if we don’t go up this season — however frustrating that may be — it might not be the worst outcome. It gives us more time to build, to become the team others look up to. A team known for its talent, ambition, and progress. With our growing support base, that future isn’t far off.

Let’s not forget where we were 4 or 5 years ago. Look how far we've come. Perspective matters. I’ve always believed that everything happens for a reason.

Whatever happens next, the decisions facing the club this summer will be crucial — big questions, important answers.

Still, maybe Friday brings a reversal of fortunes and we cruise to a 3-0 win. We can certainly hope.

Agent Waller, signing off.

Spot on. And as for the reversal of fortunes ........ I get the funny feeling that the Saddlers are not as confident as they may have been when they tipped out of the ground yesterday 😊

[Phil V 72]

Remembering what he did last time, however this season ends he will be building a squad capable of being competitive in League 1 regardless

[Mr_Pleasant]

I think this is right. Having got giddy at the thought of a Wembley trip, yesterday was a good reminder that I have thought for a few months that we might not be ready to go up. Given the turnover of players this season we've done bloody well to get into the play offs. It's been a season of working out who is good enough to take us forward, and working out how we break down teams that are well-organised if not all that good at football. We will have learned some important lessons.

And yesterday, until it went a bit tits, there were 9000 Town in the stadium making a brilliant noise. The fanbase has grown to a level I never expected to see, and I love that.

[stainlessstephen]

We learn and move on. Exciting times ahead I think.

[PontePete]

Waller is my hero, on 12 May 2025 - 12:03 PM, said:

So, will it be one more game as Cookie lays the groundwork for a serious assault on the League Two title? Or one more game for a great day out at Wembley and a shot at promotion to League One?

There’s no denying that yesterday’s performance was disappointing. But it's behind us now — we move forward. What the game did show, however, was the next challenge in our progression under Paul Cook. The ability to break down well-drilled, defensive sides like Walsall is key. They didn’t allow us to play, and we allowed them to dictate the tempo — something PC will know we must reverse. We should be the ones in control.

While promotion would be fantastic, I do wonder if it might come a bit too soon. To truly compete in League One, the squad would need significant strengthening — not just numbers, but real quality. That said, I have no doubt that we would bring that quality in, if the time comes.

On the other hand, if we don’t go up this season — however frustrating that may be — it might not be the worst outcome. It gives us more time to build, to become the team others look up to. A team known for its talent, ambition, and progress. With our growing support base, that future isn’t far off.

Let’s not forget where we were 4 or 5 years ago. Look how far we've come. Perspective matters. I’ve always believed that everything happens for a reason.

Whatever happens next, the decisions facing the club this summer will be crucial — big questions, important answers.

Still, maybe Friday brings a reversal of fortunes and we cruise to a 3-0 win. We can certainly hope.

Agent Waller, signing off.

Not over til it’s over Waller. I’ve said my sorrys to the cat for the kicking I gave it yesterday (metaphorically speaking obviously, not literally, I don’t even own a cat 😁) let’s see what Friday brings. An early goal would surely see the saddlers nerves jangling a tad.

This post has been edited by PontePete: 12 May 2025 - 02:19 PM

[oohwallerwaller]

I think without the injuries we’ve had this season we’d have finished in the top 3…. So promotion this season I think was always the plan… I have a funny feeling that (and I really hope I’m right) we’ll do it in extra time/pens…

[Rodney's Moustache]

Going to be difficult to get a result over there in Poland.

This post has been edited by Rodney's Moustache: 12 May 2025 - 05:49 PM

[azul]

s42blue, on 12 May 2025 - 12:13 PM, said:

Agreed ⬆️. For all the resident idiot’s moaning of top 7 being the minimum expectation…the clearly stated in public aim of the Kirk’s was top half finish. You know, the ones who put their money where their mouth is. Unlike some. .

I’m told we’ll have a very strong recruitment drive commensurate to whichever league we’re in to achieve either promo to L1 or being able to compete in L1.

The club management would never say they expected promotion but I have no doubt that was their aim and possibly expectation. Those expectations were definitely scuppered by injuries from Autumn onwards and they are still an ongoing problem even after so many players returned, something the people you refer to resident idiots don't take into account.

There is little doubt about the clubs ambition this season and next. One look at the January recruitment and tellingly the recruitment that was attempted should make that plain enough.

[Trigger]

Mr_Pleasant, on 12 May 2025 - 12:46 PM, said:

I think this is right. Having got giddy at the thought of a Wembley trip, yesterday was a good reminder that I have thought for a few months that we might not be ready to go up. Given the turnover of players this season we've done bloody well to get into the play offs. It's been a season of working out who is good enough to take us forward, and working out how we break down teams that are well-organised if not all that good at football. We will have learned some important lessons.

And yesterday, until it went a bit tits, there were 9000 Town in the stadium making a brilliant noise. The fanbase has grown to a level I never expected to see, and I love that.

It was really loud at the back of the kop early doors. Infant I don't think I've heard it like that since we moved to this ground

[Tha Knows...]

Trigger, on 12 May 2025 - 10:29 PM, said:

It was really loud at the back of the kop early doors. Infant I don't think I've heard it like that since we moved to this ground

Support that Walsall could only dream of.

[DIFH]

 Trigger, on 12 May 2025 - 10:29 PM, said:

It was really loud at the back of the kop early doors. Infant I don't think I've heard it like that since we moved to this ground

The club is on a massive up turn currently, the most startling thing for me is the amount of mums bringing children to the games.

This single point shows the future is bright and the next generation of support is well and truly being targeted-well done to the mums.

[Tha Knows...]

 DIFH, on 13 May 2025 - 04:49 AM, said:

The club is on a massive up turn currently, the most startling thing for me is the amount of mums bringing children to the games.

This single point shows the future is bright and the next generation of support is well and truly being targeted-well done to the mums.

Mums the word.

Excellent support from the north stand on Sunday, starting their own chants, and good to see the W7 boys back in full voice!

[Mr_Pleasant]

 Tha Knows..., on 13 May 2025 - 05:34 AM, said:

Mums the word.

Excellent support from the north stand on Sunday, starting their own chants, and good to see the W7 boys back in full voice!

I've never heard the atmosphere like that in the North Stand before. It was fantastic and heartwarming. I was even willing to put up with the bloke behind me kneeing me in the head more than once.

[essexspireman]

 Mr_Pleasant, on 13 May 2025 - 05:46 AM, said:

I've never heard the atmosphere like that in the North Stand before. It was fantastic and heartwarming. I was even willing to put up with the bloke behind me kneeing me in the head more than once.

There’s not much room in some of them seats

[lindave]

 Tha Knows..., on 13 May 2025 - 05:34 AM, said:

Mums the word.

Excellent support from the north stand on Sunday, starting their own chants, and good to see the W7 boys back in full voice!

The support from the North Standcwas superb and good to see it packed out.

[BlueRodneyFern]

 lindave, on 13 May 2025 - 07:08 AM, said:

The support from the North Standcwas superb and good to see it packed out.

Not like where we sit Dave in the West stand some proper moaners don't even clap or stand up when we score all you hear is constant moaning and unfortunately it's getting worse and I know evreybody can have a view but this going over the top and no wonder Cookue shakes his head as he can hear most of it .

[Collingham Spireite]

 Trigger, on 12 May 2025 - 10:29 PM, said:

It was really loud at the back of the kop early doors. Infant I don't think I've heard it like that since we moved to this ground

I said exactly the same; I don’t recall louder support since the move. As long as we score first (far from a given, obviously), even if not until the 70th minute, they will panic and it could very well be a very exciting ending.

[KevoBMMD]

just heard that the surface at the Erwin Training Ground is being prepared for next season already as work has commenced already to relay the surface ready for Pre Season Training