Saddlers Social: Walsall season fizzling out

Sam Hayward

I renewed my season ticket but it had become a bit of a drama in my own head. A home game for me is a 210 mile round trip in the car, just short of four hours overall if I drive or a five hour train journey. Living down in the South East essentially makes every game an away game so I was a little unsure whether to commit to another season with increasing expenses elsewhere. But I couldn't miss out. There's a chance that next term Jon Whitney will have learned from his mistakes. There's a chance we'll have replaced Jason McCarthy well, brought in Scott Laird permanently, Isaiah Osbourne and Adam Chambers will still be here, Flo Cuvelier will stay fit all season, Craig MacGillivray will prove a decent first choice and Andreas Makris will score 20 goals. It's the hope that kills you, isn't it?

Richard Kendrick

It would be a shame if we gave up and stumbled over the finish line now we have nothing to play for. Usually, having a positive end to the season can help build momentum and confidence going into the next campaign, but it will be hard to build momentum when we know that many of the squad will move on again, to be replaced with the next short-term fixes. Unless of course, we begin to blood youth and fringe players into the squad, which we have shown we will do by handing a debut to Mitch Candling. So let's start giving game time to those who will be with us for a few years to come, giving them some confidence before the start of next season. Give Andreas Makris and Ama Bakayoko plenty of game time, as well as Kory Roberts and one or two others. Start planning now, as more will be expected next year.

Nick Etheridge

Although Saturdays defeat meant that we'd lost three on the bounce for the first time this season, it was refreshing to see such a youthful bench. Taking Simeon Jackson, who is no spring chicken, and George Dobson, who doesn't belong to us, out of the equation, it's great to see some of the young lads be given a chance. It remains to be seen whether any of them will be the next Scott Dann or Troy Deeney, but with Kory Roberts looking decent when thrust in at the deep end earlier in the season, Callum Cockerill-Mollett being nominated for the League One Apprentice of the Year, and Mitch Candlin showing promising signs on his debut, the future certainly looks bright. It's also easy to forget that Matt Preston is only 22 and Andreas Makris and Amadou Bakayoko, who has had an impressive breakthrough season are 21. It looks like the Walsall FC talent conveyor belt is still in full swing.

Dan Gilbert

Well the performance at Bradford was yet again another nothing display, but we did get a look at what Jon Whitney may be using the rest of the season for, giving Andreas Makris a run and to get a few youngsters involved, such as Mitch Candlin who made a brief but good appearance. Of course, we won't go down, but to be 10 points off the bottom four in a poor league is a concern, especially considering our freak run of home wins on the bounce. For the rest of the season though we do need to be realistic, if we want youngsters thrown into the side then we may have to witness a few more average performances before the season ends, as long as they don't come against Shrewsbury, Vale or Coventry.

Kevin Paddock

Another game against promotion candidates and another defeat - that's the first time in Jon Whitney's tenure we have lost three on the bounce (hard to believe isn't it). One positive was seeing Tobias Hayles-Doherty and Mitch Candlin on the bench. Although yet again Neil Etheridge was starting and put in another abject display - when will Craig MacGillivray get his chance? Also why keep the loanees in the side if we are planning for next season? There are yet again more questions than answers but as Whitney bingo demonstrated we are "improving" and showing "energy" - sorry Jon but my energy and passion is dwindling with every passing week.

Nathan Braint

I just can't work out whether I'm relieved the end of the season is edging closer or upset because Andreas Makris still hasn't scored. In comparison to how I was bleating at the turn of the year about how awful everything was, it hasn't turned out that badly, sitting steadily in mid-table. That said, the number of leads surrendered and the goals conceded from set plays shows there is clearly room for improvement next season. Most worryingly, when much of improvement was driven on by loan players like Jason McCarthy and Eoghan O'Connell who are surely on the way back to their parent clubs after April 30, how will Walsall be able to continue progressing next season? But I am not a soothsayer, I am a gloom merchant, so I'll offer no answers here. There will be other departures. Neil Etheridge's kicking has always been wayward but what seems to have been a recent deterioration suggests to me he'll be on his way to pastures new. In Neil Cutler we trust to find us another gem. Players will come and players will go but the only thing certain is that unless Walsall finish with 100 points with a goal difference of +50 in 2017/18 I will be moping.