Walsall boss Jimmy Mullen has urged his side to play with the same passion against Brighton as they did in their epic win at the Withdean in September.
The Saddlers stunned the Seagulls when they won 1-0 on the south coast earlier in the season, despite playing with nine men for over an hour, after the dismissals of Rhys Weston and Netan Sansara in the first-half of the match.
Now, with a depleted squad, the Saddlers boss is looking for his side to dig deep and remember their heroics in Brighton.
Mullen, who has knocked back rumours former Wigan striker David Graham is training with the Saddlers, remembers it vividly.
He said: “It was the proudest day I have ever had in football and it still is. Every time you take the field, they have got to have that same commitment, drive and willingness to win the game like they did that day. Saturday is going to be no different.”
Dwayne Mattis scored the goal to hand Walsall their improbable win, after Weston and Sansara had been shown straight red cards in the first-half. But Mullen would prefer his side to win the easy way this time.
He said: “I certainly don’t want to try and win the game in the manner we did at their place. It is well documented it was a very emotional day and proud day from my point of view, because of the performance of the players.
“To hold on for over an hour, against a Brighton team who at that time were in the top half of the table was great.”
The club are confident the game will beat the freezing weather, after removing around eight tonnes of snow from the pitch and have now covered the surface.
Stephen Roberts and Stephen Hughes will again be out with Michael Ricketts suspended but Paul Boertien could feature in the squad.
The Seagulls have been decimated by departure,s with Bradley Johnson going back to Leeds and Matt Richards returning to Ipswich after the end of their loan spells, along with Coventry’s Kevin Thornton. Steven Thompson has also joined Scottish outfit St Mirren.
Manager Micky Adams is down to the bare bones with just 17 fit senior players, including their two goalkeepers John Sullivan and coach Paul Crichton.
They sit 19th in League One, one point above the drop zone and eight behind the 12th placed Saddlers but Mullen expects them to improve.
He said: “They have a very good squad of players and why things haven’t clicked for them is not for me to say.
“We are only half way and it’s a long season. I’m sure with the squad of players Micky has got it will come right for them.”
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6 Comments
Mickey Adams should have been given the managers job at Walsall, perhaps he wanted a fiver to go with the peanuts that Mullen is picking up.
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linked with graham from carlisle. no wonder mullen dismissed as carlisle are after money for him. so there’s no chance he’ll be coming to us.
why couldn’t they have the spirit of the withdean for all the other games never mind just this one???
sooner muulen goes the better but then again it doesn’t matter who’s in charge, with bonser running the club
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Different David Graham I’m afraid. He has just been released by someone, I think in League 2!!
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Does anyone else think Mullen looks like the rabbit in headlights in this photo ? Does to me. Never known the club to be lacking so much passion, promise and potential.
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its a different Graham , this one has just been released from lincoln, havin seen his career do a
Ricketts. We probably cant afford his train fare.
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I’m fed up of our so called “manager” beefying up the opposition all the time. It doen’t matter who we play they are dangerous, have a good squad, will be up there at the end of the season!!! He was even full of compliments about Luton. I hate this little Walsall mentality, it’s what holds the club back. Only Colin Lee could see the potential and wanted Walsall to think bigger.
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