Saddlers skipper is calling for more

Wednesday 4th November 2009, 11:27AM GMT.

wd3361600hughes-email-picSkipper Mark Hughes today urged Walsall to raise their game or face embarrassment at Stourbridge.

The Saddlers travel to the Glassboys in their sold out FA Cup first round tie on Saturday knowing they are prime targets for an upset.

They were lucky 3-2 winners over League One bottom side Wycombe at the weekend after an abject performance which left them 2-0 down at half-time.

And Hughes admits the Saddlers must improve to overcome the Glassboys.

“I can image it’s going to be high balls with people in your face and if play like we did on Saturday we’re going to get beaten,” said Hughes.

“It’s going to be a lot different. No disrespect to them but they’re not going to play football as good as Wycombe.

“We know we got lucky and it won’t happen again.”

Steve Jones climbed off the bench to turn the game at Adams Park for the Saddlers and Hughes says the extra experience in Walsall’s squad could be crucial.

“We all know we’re playing against a team who are in a lower league and it’s people like Jonah and Darren (Byfield) who have got that bit of quality and can cut them open,” he added.

And Hughes expects Jones, who has four goals in four games, to make the difference at the War Memorial Ground after his match winning turn at Adams Park. “He’ll be key for us,” said Hughes.


  1. 1
    Swampy Saddler

    MORE CAPTAIN BLUNDER!

    Why is this bloke our Captain? He instills no confidence what so ever!

    We shouldn’t Jones’s experience to make the difference against Stourbridge (no offence Stourbridge!). All 1 of our players are better than theirs……Hughes makes it sound as though they think they are going to get beaten.

    Last week he was reported as saying ‘all the players want to move onto better things!’ and then he was undermining Manny Smith by suppposedly suggesting he should/could be playing at a higher level.

    What planet were you on Hutchings, when you made Mark Hughes our captain? Were you thinking it was his name sake…..now there was a player and not bad manager if current form is to be believed.

    I would much rather have seen Ince or Weston in the job.

    Report abuse

  2. 2
    tinned

    Swampy. I think he’s been sensible in keeping his players geet on the floor. The worst thing we can do is appraoch the game like we’ve already won – that’s a recipe for disaster. Let’s keep rminding ourselves that we need to be professional all through Saturday then hopefully we can watch the draw for the enxt round with excitement.

    Report abuse



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