From Walsall to nowhere and on to....

By WS10
January 9 2006

This months 4-4-2 Magazine contains an interview with 24 year old former Walsall forward Karl Hawley - a player rumored to be a target for a host Premiership and Championship Clubs this transfer window

^{Hawley, a Walsall lad,  has told the Cumbrian media that he won't let any speculation go to his head, but is obviously realistic about the impact it would have -  "You can't think about that, If someone did make a bid then maybe it would get in your head a little bit."} 

^{This must seem a million miles away from he week when Colin Lee pushed him out the back door to make way for Lee Bradbury and Jermaine McSporran as the Saddlers battled bravely against relegation from the Championship.} 

^{Speaking in 4-4-2, it appears to be a tough time for Hawley "I was playing non-league, testing air conditioning, working long hours and I hated it". He did have the chance to move straight to a Pro Club, but rejected what he considered to be a "derisory" offer from League Two Boston.} 

^{His current boss will have been with the Saddlers while Karl was a free scoring scholar in the Graydon era. But it was former Walsall coach Dennis Booth (now at Carlisle) who managed to get him a trial at Brunton Park. His pre-season form impressed the Cumbrians and he bagged  himself a contract.} 

^{That trial meant a lot to Hawley who has admitted "I contemplated joining the fire service ... Going so close to dropping out of the game gave me the desire to make a go of it at Carlisle"}

^{His current record stands at 100 starts and 42 goals, by far one of the finest strike rates outside the top flight, so it's of little surprise that both Newcastle and Middlesbro' are keeping tabs on his progress}

^{He found himself amongst the goals last season, but last years tally of 15 has already been surpassed with 16 goals in 30 starts this term.}

^{Did he always have the ability? Would this have come out earlier if we'd given him chance? All these are unanswerable questions, but for now, Karl is keep to pay tribute to Paul Simpson a manager who he claims has "improved him greatly"}

^{As of yet there have been no bids for Hawley, but the Championship trio of Wolves, Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United are said to be serious suitors.}

^{How ironic would it be if the Wolves picked up another Black Country youngster who had been turned away by his home town Club...}