Keep the faith urges Chris Marsh
Thursday 23rd September 2010, 11:25AM BST.
Walsall legend Chris Marsh has urged Saddlers fans to keep the faith despite their poor start to the campaign.
The former Banks’s Stadium favourite is confident manager Chris Hutchings and assistant Martin O’Connor can ease the woes – starting at Hartlepool on Saturday.
On the pitch Walsall have lost seven of their nine games in all competitions and could drop into the League One relegation zone this weekend, but Marsh – who made 413 appearances for the Saddlers in a 13-year spell – insisted it is too early to panic.
He said: “I would just call for a bit of patience. They haven’t been playing really badly, they’ve lost by the odd goal. If they’d been getting beaten by two or three they would have to look at themselves, but they’re not.
“It’s a very fine line and it’s still very early in the season to be getting worried.
“As a player you get through to the big Christmas programme and after that you would think ‘right, where are we now?’
“Then you start either building for promotion, looking at mid-table or fighting relegation.
“That’s what we did as a player so why can’t people treat managers the same way?”
The 40-year-old reckons if the Saddlers find some luck they could storm up the table, like they did in the title-winning campaign of 1998-99.
He said: “When we played Gillingham away on the first day of the season, I floated a free kick in and their defender headed it into the top corner and we won 1-0.
“I tried to claim it, of course, but it was a bit of luck and things snowballed from there. They could go to Hartlepool on Saturday, win with an own goal and go on an unbeaten run.
“They’re just not getting the rub of the green at the moment.”
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Is it fair to presume that when journos have to go around fishing for stories with ex-players its because the club have shut up shop and aren’t engaging with the press?
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Marshy
You are a Legend!!!!!!!!!!!
Could do with one or two of those step-overs of yours to liven up the game at the moment.
You are right though…..we have an almost new team again and each season they need time to gel and get to know each other on the pitch.
Let’s hope you are right about Saturday, cos we could do with that Marshy luck!
UTS!!!!
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Did Hutch write Marshy’s statement???
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One of our major problems is that we don’t have anyone at the club anymore like Marshy. Someone who really cares and loves the club he plays for,and has been at the club a very long time.
I’m sure the current crop of players try their best every game, but like Swampy Saddler said we are a new team and need time to gel, so the players haven’t had that chance to bond with the club and it’s fans. If we just keep players for a year and let them go then we never will. We don’t have those long standing club veterns anymore. We lack the likes of the Marshs, Walkers, Wracks, Ropers and O’Conners, who would run through brick walls for the club.
Marsh you are a legend!!!!
UTS
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In the season Marshy refers to we had leaders all over the park, a blend of youth and experience, players playing in a system that suited them and that they understood …and we had a quality manager.
If only we had players like Marshy now.
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Pete, we never have that much to talk about. A summer of Alex Nicholls saying how this season is the season he’ll hit the goal trail made that clear.
At least Marshy has a point.
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