Yeovil Town v Walsall

Huish Park

7.45pm

Darren Wrack returns to the scene of a footballing nightmare tonight reminded that what goes around comes around.

The popular Saddlers midfielder is set to lead out the side at Yeovil as Walsall attempt to stretch their unbeaten run to 17 games and hold off one of the clubs likely to be disputing play-off positions with Richard Money’s team further down the line.

That is a record of stubborn resistance – the Saddlers have only lost one in 19 – every bit as impressive as Wrack’s following his previous visit to this West Country football outpost.

Two years ago, his shin was shattered into fragments by a tackle from then Yeovil defender Colin Miles which was so forceful it ruptured his ankle ligaments at the same time.

Wrack’s fightback from an injury which threatened his career has earned the admiration of everyone around the Banks’s Stadium and beyond – but, it seems, cut little ice with the fellow pro whose challenge brought him within touching distance of retirement.

“I’ve never heard from him to this day,” says Wrack.

“It was extremely disappointing that I never heard from him. I don’t think he meant to hurt me – it was a hard challenge but I can’t think he went out to hurt me.

“But I know that if I went into a challenge which had that sort of impact on an opponent, the first thing I would do is feel concerned for him and at least give him a call.

“But I’ve never heard anything from this lad or seen him – until Christmas. We were playing at Port Vale on Boxing Day who he plays for now and he came on as a sub in the first half. 

“Our fans were giving him some terrible stick but he got an injury, tried to come back on, and collapsed again so I think he has his own problems now. (Miles is out for three months with knee ligament damage).

“I would point out that I have absolutely no complaints about Yeovil and the folk down there. They could not do enough for me and I am particularly grateful to the surgeon for the job he did. 

“When I suffered my injury, I had the operation that night and I was told that I should prepare myself for the fact that I would not play again. It was upsetting and I must admit there were tears in my eyes as I thought about it. 

“But that made me all the more determined to come back and since then, time seems to have flown by. I don’t believe in looking back but, yes, it’s bound to be at the back of my mind tonight.”

As much as Wrack is reluctant to look back, he is equally keen to counsel Walsall and an increasingly expectant public not to get too far ahead of themselves in this flourishing campaign.

Can Richard Money’s combination of crusty, proven senior pros and promising youngsters turn this terrific first half of the season into a sustained challenge for promotion? 

“We’ve surprised a lot of people and slipped into the top six almost unnoticed – which suits us fine,” says Wrack.

“We’ve lost one in 19, and we’re 16 without defeat – we’re on a great run and there is a great spirit in there.

“We knew we had the nous and the talent in the changing room and I thought that even early on, when we were putting in some good performances without getting the points we perhaps deserved.

“But there is such a long way to go, we have to bear that in mind.

“All the youngsters the manager is bringing into the team at the moment are doing a superb job but we have got to keep feet on the ground.

“It’s all about consistency and we have that at the moment but it is too early to look beyond anything other than our next game.”

Money will have Anthony Gerrard back from a one-match ban to compete with the experienced Ian Roper for a starting place.

Tommy Mooney is battling to overcome a hamstring strain that has ruled him out of the last three games although strike partner Michael Ricketts is hopeful of being fit after suffering a thigh injury at the weekend.

Yeovil are just two places and two points below the Saddlers but have lost four of their 12 home League games.