Match Report 2001-2002

Sunday 21 April, 2002, Division One

Walsall Away

So long, and thanks for all the sliding tackles

For reasons unknown during the week the legend of Robin Hood cropped up in conversation in the office. I was moved to think of the end of that story. How as death became inevitable Robin launched an arrow into the sky and decreed that where it landed would be his final end.

Walsall 2002.

Obviously there was no Boy From Brazil in the early 1980s when Stuart McCall started his City career, there was not even a City Gent. One wonders what we would have said on his debut. "Decent debut by McCall" would probably sum it up, perhaps we would have mused that no matter how good McCall could be, he would never replace Cec Podd, no one could.

Yet here it was, Stuart McCall signing off from the Bantams some twenty years later. There is much debate over McCall continuing at another club. Afroed Marksman Don Goodman, a peer of Stuart's in that City team that won promotion to this level in 1985, was still looking lively in the Walsall forward line. Goodman never had Stuart's talent, perhaps Stuart will go on forever.

McCall emotion aside, or perhaps because of McCall emotion, City raced to a two goal deficit as Steve Corica notched twice the first a header from a Fitzroy Simpson cross, the second a pile driver free kick. Jorge Leitao was at the heart of most of the best things Walsall dis. One suspects that the Midlands club will spend less time battling relegation next season under the shrewd stewardship of Colin Lee.

Colin Lee of course was Wolves' manager when City achieved promotion back in 1999. A McCall-less City look a team a long way from promotion next season. Nicky Law wants to bring in new faces, new ideas and players who are tactically adaptable. We need it.

However what we do seem to have, and a note of caution is worth chiming here cause we seemed to have it last season, is a bit of guts around the club. 2-0 and frankly getting paggered City could have slid to another defeat. Ashley Ward absent Jess and Cadamarteri led the line, Jess went off for Andrew Lee's debut and against the flow of the game Danny Cadamarteri smashed home a right foot shot past the impressive James Walker who kept out a stinging shot from Claus Jorgensen minutes later.

So once again it was a fitting tribute to the out going skipper that City did not stop playing even in the last minute of a season that has plumped the depths of averageness. Tom Kearney swung a free kick in that Gus Uhlenbeek nudged into his own goal nudging City into 15th position over Nottingham Forest.

It says much about the quality of this league the that often wretched City team of 2001-2002 can finish 15th.

Stuart went up front for a while, trying to seek a dream ending, although one doubt's Stuart McCall's dreams are of goals, just sliding tackles 60 yards from his own goal.

Oddly enough, thats what my dreams are made of too.

Man of the Match

Alan Combe

Would be missed if he never came back.

City Team:

Combe
Jorgensen Wetherall Bower Jacobs
Juanjo McCall Kearney Emanuel
Jess Cadamarteri

Subs: Myers for Jacobs, Locke for Juanjo, Andrew Lee for Eoin Jess