Walsall blog: Cruel Summer

Having spent the last seven weeks hunched over the keyboard waiting to bring you all the latest exciting developments from the Banks's Stadium, I got fed up of waiting for any.

So here's what I think's been happening: -

Clayton Ince

Probably the most important development of the summer has been somewhat surprisingly played down a bit.

After seemingly stalling the big fella for ages last season, I had a feeling Clayton might have told the club where to go.

Thankfully the man's better than that and he will be sporting the Walsall Hospice kit during 09/10.

No disrespect to second-choice Rene Gilmartin, but I think without Clayton we could be little more than relegation fodder. Good to have you back Incey.

Jabo Ibehre

Yes I know all the arguments, it's a short career, players have to do what's best for them and their family, there's little loyalty in the game, MK are more ambitious, so on and so on.

But where were the Dons last season or when Jabo's career was going nowhere at Leyton Orient?

At the back end of last season, I thought there were signs that Hutchings had been working on Jabo being a little more clinical in front of goal.

I was looking forward to the Ibehre and Troy Deeney partnership developing further next season.

What does strike me is that if Jabo goes on a goalless run similar to last season, he could well find himself very quickly dumped by his new club, in the reserves or out on loan - wishing he'd stayed put when he had the chance.

The Others

Manny Smith, Netan Sansara and so on. Well done boys the grass isn't always greener, now the hard work begins.

One Year Contracts

Only last week, Walsall manager Chris Hutchings was bemoaning the fact that a lot of players aren't interested in one-year deals.

Which is a similar situation to the mid 1990's, when the same short-sighted policy cost us key players, held the club back and had a negative effect on crowds.

Will they ever learn?

Scott Dann

Nice of Wolves boss Mick McCarthy to get into a bidding war and bump Scotty's price up, thereby upping our cut of the deal.

We all know that a true Saddler would never stoop to turning out at the Graveyard, so the alleged extra six grand a week offered by Blues had no bearing on his final decision at all. No way. Absolutely not.

I can't be the only Walsall fan wondering whether or not there was actually a sell-on clause inserted into the hastily arranged deal back in January 2008, which probably tells you as much about my lack of faith in the board as anything else.

Thankfully there was, although nobody seems to be holding their breath about how much of it will be given to the manager.

As for the comments made by chief executive Roy Whalley that the deal had somehow vindicated Walsall's decision to panic-sell, I personally don't believe that one full season in the Championship necessarily increases a player's value by around £2.5 million.

Scott Dann was a quality player before he went to Coventry and holding onto him could have been far more beneficial to the club in the long run in terms of financial rewards, on-field success and supporter morale.

David Hamilton

No not the Fulham announcer or the annoying DJ from the 1970's, but our new scout. David's welcome appointment is the first sign of Chris Hutchings using some of his contacts and beginning to do things his way. Fingers crossed.

The New Fixtures

We didn't actually need the fixtures coming out to tell us we'd got some long journeys and some games against former Premier League teams next season.

Most of us had worked that out for ourselves.

They don't look too bad either. I'd rather have trips to Brighton and Carlisle at either end of the season than on a cold winter's night.

Christmas actually looks quite attractive and we can all dream about stuffing up the Dons season yet again on May 8.

I could quibble about Yeovil away on a Tuesday in December when the August Bank Holiday is free and that the FA Cup is much too early again but, as I'm sure I'll get plenty more to moan about in the coming months, I won't.

Next Season's Prospects

Mystic Mark mentioned Scunthorpe United in the last blog of 2008/09 and they only went and won the play-offs.

Which means the 17th best supported club in the division, with a smaller - albeit familiar - ground, smaller commercial set-up and poorer geographic location than ourselves have now achieved two promotions, not to mention two Wembley appearances, in three years.

This emulates our very own Sir Ray Graydon's achievements at the turn of the century.

Put this in context of the fact that they spent the best part of the previous 40 years in the bottom division, their crowds last season were boosted by being in or around the top six all year and whichever way you look at it, they are doing much better than Walsall.

Which leads me on to repeating the fact that those in charge should be looking at Scunthorpe, whenever they feel like lecturing us on how lucky we are not to be Luton, Bournemouth or this week's crisis club.

Equally those journalists who fall for this line ought to bear this in mind when regurgitating the same old drivel time after time.

You don't always have to settle for under-achievement or lame excuses.

Ownership

Surprise, surprise, the reported end of season announcement still hasn't materialised.

In my mind, if that radio station had got it so wrong with their post-Cheltenham game announcement, then Mr Bonser himself should really do the decent thing and clarify the position for the benefit of the fans.

That's assuming anyone cares about us fans of course.

Roll on August!