Scores to be settled for Walsall boss Smith
While Walsall are dreaming of Wembley glory, manager Dean Smith is out to settle a couple of scores himself.
The Saddlers boss suffered defeat as a player at this stage of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy while with Sheffield Wednesday.
And he was also the skipper of the Leyton Orient team which lost 1-0 to Scunthorpe in the 1999 Third Division play-off final.
He's hoping it is third time lucky this time around but is also quick to point out the significance of his Wednesday disappointment, ahead of a tie when his own team are the underdogs.
"We were the fancied team and got beat 1-0 and 2-1 at home," he recalls. "As the big club and the big team it does not always work out that you are the one which goes and gets the job done.
"Hopefully it can be us who get through to the final this time."
While Smith has experienced JPT frustration, assistant boss Richard O'Kelly won the competition while with Doncaster Rovers in 2007.
Defender James O'Connor was also part of that Rovers team and Smith added: "We have people and players who have won this competition.
"Richard O'Kelly won it with Doncaster, with James O'Connor in the team. There are players and staff who have won it and know how it can be.
"You have two shots, realistically, in at this level – the play-offs and the JPT. It is a great chance and we are going all out to try and get to Wembley – but if we get there it is all about winning something."
The Saddlers have enjoyed good success against Preston while Smith has been manager, winning four of seven matches.
"We seem to have done alright against them," he added. "It's a great place to go and play, a good stadium and is a really good football club.
"We have had some decent performances against them both home and away. One of our best performances was here when we beat them 3-1 this season.
"That seems a good scoreline, lets hope we can keep if going! They have some really good players.
"If you look at the last five games they have been on a really good run and have just beaten Norwich in the cup, so it's a big ask but one we are not afraid of.
"They are one of the fancied teams to go up in our league but we have a good record against them and have beaten them in the league already this season.
"Those are the positives we have going for us."
