Walsall 2012/13

2012/13 isn’t a season anyone wants to remember for a reason other than our little cup run. David Holdsworth rotated the squad, we had more players in a season than I think I’d seen in the previous six, and in the end, Reg paid for it with his job. Still, we’ll always have the Bescot.

We needed a replay to beat Halifax in qualifying, and then drew third-tier side Walsall in the next round. In fairness, it wasn’t a great Walsall side, and we were minutes from beating them at the Bank. Jamie Taylor scored on the stroke of half time, and only an 87th-minute goal by George Bowerman saved their blushes. Of course, we didn’t hold out much hope for the replay, until back-to-back league wins made us believe.

Again, we took the lead, this time through Alan Power, and again, they needed a late goal to level the tie. That meant extra time, and cometh the hour, cometh the man. Vadaine Oliver, on as an 80th-minute sub, bagged twice, and even another last-minute goal for them couldn’t get them back into the tie.

That set up a game against Mansfield, where we were a minute from beating them and drawing Liverpool in the third round. Matt Rhead levelled late on, and they won the replay 2-1 with Exodus Geohaghon, Ben Hutchinson, Alan Marriott, Lee Beevers and Matt Green in the team.

The Stags lost 2-1 to Liverpool, before going on to win the league and get promoted to League Two, where they have remained until this week.