Chris Marsh: Forget the cup – it’s Saturday that counts for Walsall

But I’m really not bothered about Walsall exiting the Carabao Cup at the hands of Macclesfield.

And I promise you, I’m not just saying that because we lost.

The truth is we have had an outstanding start to the season – both in terms of performances and results.

And the League Cup is a competition that has now lost its spark.

I know there are fans who would have liked a cup run.

There is also the chance you could be drawn against one of the Premier League big boys away – and that is always a great day out.

But even if you do get that glamour tie, the big clubs tend to now play their reserves in the competition.

And that just doesn’t have the same magic to it.

For me, the FA Cup is the holy grail. That and the league are the only competitions that matter.

If you offered me three points at the weekend or a place in the Carabao Cup third round, I’d bite your hand off for the points.

And Walsall now have a great chance to continue their excellent start to the season when they host managerless Blackpool on Saturday.

For me, we enter the game still unbeaten. We drew against Macclesfield in 90 minutes – and were the better team on the night.

OK, they won the shootout. But the players can’t – and more importantly won’t – let that get to them.

Over 90 minutes this season they have been fantastic and remain unbeaten, so there is no need for any confidence levels to dip.

It is going to be interesting at the weekend to see how Zeli Ismail responds after he was sent off in the win at Rochdale.

He picked up a first yellow for kicking the ball away after he gave away a free-kick.

Then he was harshly given a second for handball later in the second half.

I read that he apologised to his team-mates after the game.

And it reminded me of a time I was needlessly sent off at Cardiff’s Ninian Park.

It was in the early 90s, we’d given away a free-kick and Wacka (Jimmy Walker) wanted two people in the wall.

Me and Wayne Evans were those men but the referee spotted that we weren’t standing 10-yards away.

He asked us to retreat, we did it slowly – playing up – and I got booked.

I couldn’t believe it. I asked why I was booked and not Wayne and the ref turned around and I said I was the aggressor.

I was furious because he never made a tackle.

But just like with Ismail on Saturday, my needless yellow came back to bite me.

In the second half, I got a second yellow for a late challenge on their left-back.

You have to remember in my day you could actually tackle. You had to put in five Graeme Souness-like challenges to get a booking.

But this time I just caught the man quite innocently.

It was a bit late and I clipped him. But he got up and lifted me off the floor!

I couldn’t believe it when the red card came out.

But – as any footballer will tell you – it really is a horrible feeling when you’re walking off that pitch.

I had so much guilt. I really felt like I had let my team-mates down.

And then a host of other things start going through you mind.

A red card in my day was an immediate two-week fine.

And we weren’t on £10,000 a week, I was on about £600.

You lose a lot of money and then you have to go home and explain yourself to the wife.

On top of that you are banned, which means you have to play for the reserves – which I hated.

The manager will also probably have a word – you really do get hit from all angles, especially if you have gone on to lose the game.

I was sent off at Exeter once and I’ll never forget that coach journey back.

Fortunately for Ismail, Walsall’s players dug in and still secured the win last Saturday.

He didn’t do that much wrong, but he’ll still feel he owes his team-mates. Getting the winner against Blackpool would be a great way to repay them!