On This Day In History . . . . .

By Neil Ravenscroft
March 25 2004

While researching for the story on the signing of Jemaine McSporran, I found out that this week has other Walsall/Wycombe connections!

It was transfer deadline week this time in 2001, as Walsall added to the squad prior to the Wycombe game that Saturday, with a soon to be Saddlers legend. Meanwhile, two other legends were with the opposition:-

"Don Goodman will go straight into the Walsall squad for the clash with Wycombe after completing a deadline-day free transfer from Motherwell.

He will be joined by former Wales international Barry Horne who has joined the club until the end of the season after previously being unattached.

Walsall midfielder Tom Bennett is suspended for the match. Bennett has been booked on 10 occasions this season and will miss two games.

Youngster Gary Birch has joined Third Division strugglers Exeter on a month's loan having just returned to full training with the rest of the squad on the advice of the Walsall club doctor.

Wycombe manager Lawrie Sanchez welcomes back Dave Carroll and Andy Rammell to his squad for the trip to the midlands.

Both players came through a midweek reserve match unscathed after respective groin and hamstring injuries and will be competing for a return to first-team action.

Sanchez will also include new signing Guy Whittingham in his squad after the striker joined the Chairboys from Portsmouth.

But Sanchez's other deadline day signing, Chris Marsh from Walsall, is unavailable as the transfer deal between the clubs prevents him from playing in this match against his former club.

Wycombe will still be without Mo Harkin who is currently on international duty with the Northern Ireland Under-21 squad.

Otherwise, Sanchez will be picking from an unchanged squad as his players look to bounce back from Tuesday's 1-0 home defeat to Rotherham".


The report of the game makes nice reading, too:-

Spanish winger Pedro Matias grabbed a hat-trick and made one other goal as Walsall crushed Wycombe 5-1 at Bescot Stadium.

His goals came in the 42nd, 61st and 83rd minutes as the Saddlers boosted their promotion hopes.

Paul Hall scored Walsall's third in the 67th minute with top scorer Jorge Leitao hammering his 18th of the season in the 70th minute.

Wycombe's reply came nine minutes from the end through a clever free-kick from substitute Martin Lee".

Nice bit of nostalgia!