Lags Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 (edited) Quite a lively debate brewing down below about ambition/wage bill, quality players, returning fans and promotion/stagnation. It was interesting to read Richard Money's (Walsall manager) article on the BBC website how the Chairman and himself were dismayed that the crowds hadn't returned to the Bescot despite Walsall hiting the play off's and a fantastic run of games. Now then a few questions sprung to mind... 1) Do Walsall have a bigger catchment area for fans? 2) Do you percieve Latics to be a bigger club than Walsall? 3) Would you consider Walsall to have a bigger playing wage budget than Latics? 4) Do Walsall have better players than Latics? 5) Do Walsall play more attractive football than Latics? 6) Are the players coached better tactically than Latics for each sides given talents? Edited February 4, 2008 by Lags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigfinLatic Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 (edited) Quite a lively debate brewing down below about ambition/wage bill, quality players, returning fans and promotion/stagnation. It was interesting to read Richard Money's (Walsall manager) article on the BBC website how the Chairman and himself were dismayed that the crowds hadn't returned to the Bescot despite Walsall hiting the play off's and a fantastic run of games. Now then a few questions sprung to mind... 1) Do Walsall have a bigger catchment area for fans? 2) Do you percieve Latics to be a bigger club than Walsall? 3) Would you consider Walsall to have a bigger playing wage budget than Latics? 4) Do Walsall have better players than Latics? 5) Do Walsall play more attractive football than Latics? 6) Are the players coached better tactically than Latics for each sides given talents? I consider Latics to be a much bigger club than Walsall, with potentially a bigger catchment area, with better players, a better coaching staff, and ultimately - more money to spend on wages... In terms of the football - havent seen enough of em... and we absolutely hammered em at thier place... however what walsall shows is that with a bit of luck and confidence anyone can put a run together in this league - unfortunately for walsall I think they have peaked much too early... I suspect they will finish in the bottom half of the table... now - are they better than us or simply had more luck and fortune - I expect the latter.. something I have thought all season is that we have had no where near the rub of the green we had last year, so many games we would have won 1-0 last year have gone the other way this... It was interesting chatting to some walsall fans befor the away game, and before thier run - they openly admitted that thier side was one of the poorest they had ever seen... and expected to go straight back down... cant see how much has changed - as I say, think the manager and the chairman probably have more faith in thier quality of football than thier fans.... .. look at it this way - i would rather be a Latics fan in the long term... Edited February 4, 2008 by BigfinLatic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Quite a lively debate brewing down below about ambition/wage bill, quality players, returning fans and promotion/stagnation. It was interesting to read Richard Money's (Walsall manager) article on the BBC website how the Chairman and himself were dismayed that the crowds hadn't returned to the Bescot despite Walsall hiting the play off's and a fantastic run of games. The answer to the questions you pose is no. The difference as I see it is that Walsall fans don't have the excuse that they've been to Wembley and the Premier League and got the t-shirts, so can't be arsed any more. That's why the chairman and manager despair about their plight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_bro Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 The answer to the questions you pose is no. The difference as I see it is that Walsall fans don't have the excuse that they've been to Wembley and the Premier League and got the t-shirts, so can't be arsed any more. That's why the chairman and manager despair about their plight. I regard Walsall as a much smaller club than Oldham. Crowds seem to go with history. Clubs like Burnley, Preston etc. get larger crowds from smaller catchment areas because they have past glories, both used to be teams in the top division for a long time. These days competition from the premiership matters, Walsall have the bigger West Midlands clubs on their door step West Brom, Wolves Birmingham and Villa. Wd have the Mancs., also kids unless they get hooled at some stage, follow the prem.clubs even though they don't go. Wlasall have been relying on loan players, and will do so again as we do, but I'm sure that we have a bigger budget, but I would think that the wages the platyers earn are much the same as ours, with the odd exception.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slurms mckenzie Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Quite a lively debate brewing down below about ambition/wage bill, quality players, returning fans and promotion/stagnation. It was interesting to read Richard Money's (Walsall manager) article on the BBC website how the Chairman and himself were dismayed that the crowds hadn't returned to the Bescot despite Walsall hiting the play off's and a fantastic run of games. Now then a few questions sprung to mind... 1) Do Walsall have a bigger catchment area for fans? 2) Do you percieve Latics to be a bigger club than Walsall? 3) Would you consider Walsall to have a bigger playing wage budget than Latics? 4) Do Walsall have better players than Latics? 5) Do Walsall play more attractive football than Latics? 6) Are the players coached better tactically than Latics for each sides given talents? This is fun 1) Yes, more people live in Walsall than Oldham 2) Yes, I would say so 3) No, we've got TTA who subsidise us 4) No, I don't think so 5) Probably 6) They must be. Don't like Walsall though, many reasons for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spadam Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 They are just lucky it will run out we are the bigger club bigger catchment area higher wages they did not play well at all at our place oldham dominated all game they just finshed there chances probably the worst side in the top half of the table. We are probably the side in the bottom half of the table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpTheLatics Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Quite a lively debate brewing down below about ambition/wage bill, quality players, returning fans and promotion/stagnation. It was interesting to read Richard Money's (Walsall manager) article on the BBC website how the Chairman and himself were dismayed that the crowds hadn't returned to the Bescot despite Walsall hiting the play off's and a fantastic run of games. Now then a few questions sprung to mind... 1) Do Walsall have a bigger catchment area for fans? 2) Do you percieve Latics to be a bigger club than Walsall? 3) Would you consider Walsall to have a bigger playing wage budget than Latics? 4) Do Walsall have better players than Latics? 5) Do Walsall play more attractive football than Latics? 6) Are the players coached better tactically than Latics for each sides given talents? 1. Well, I'd say so. Only because of where they lie in the country, however. 2. Yes. 3. No. 4. Tricky one, but no. 5. No. They grind results. I don't find that attractive. 6. I wouldn't like to answer that one. I am actually surprised with their home/away following, despite their excellent position in the league. However, saying that, they might not like to see the football they play at home. Though, I have no idea what their opinions are on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boundaryblue80 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 1. Well, I'd say so. Only because of where they lie in the country, however. 2. Yes. 3. No. 4. Tricky one, but no. 5. No. They grind results. I don't find that attractive. I do....every time I look at the league where we've ground one out 6. I wouldn't like to answer that one. Don't think any of us can...we don't see enough of them to know....same with Q4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boundaryblue80 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 It was interesting chatting to some walsall fans befor the away game, and before thier run - they openly admitted that thier side was one of the poorest they had ever seen... and expected to go straight back down... cant see how much has changed I can....lol....won't be the whole factor, but a huge one is a certain ex-player returning. The results directly improved as a result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimsleftfoot Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 1) Walsall Metropolitan Borough is one of the seven Districts that comprise the West Midlands County, which by population is the largest metropolitan area outside Greater London. Population in the 2001 Census was 253,499 so I’d say it has a larger cathcment area. However being the smallest out of West Brom, Birmingham, Villa and Wolves and not having the FA Cup runs of Chasetown. I think they would have similar problems than us. 2) It’s all about the here and now for me. They are higher in the league and they have similar crowds. I don’t see on what basis we can say we are bigger. We have done better probably in the past and I would say have a better history, but all that gives us is better memories. If they go up and we go down, we will definitely not be bigger. 3) God knows really. I don’t know ours. I think we have probably spent a little more but in all honesty probably not too much out of line with most clubs who I would expect to be loss making. 4) They seem to have a few experienced players who are doing a job. Not really sure. I would say that the fact our too most experienced players, Gregan and Lids, being injured speaks volumes. I would say that we have individuals who are better but the team isn’t. 5) Don’t know didn’t see enough. Someone above says that he doesn’t like the fact they grind out results. Hmmm not sure what that means really as the football at home this season for us has been amongst the most boring ever. If I can see a few goals then at least if gives you something to shout about so I would say no. 6) Again can’t say too much but they are higher in the league than us so will say yes. They also scored a free kick against us which we cannot do. I don’t think we are getting the simple things right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc_ok Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Walsall already have the new stand with conferencing facilities that we are now looking forward to. When we went to see the reserves earlier in the season the car pack was packed (and they weren't there for the football). You could see through the exec box windows that there was an event (or events) going on within that stand while the match was going on. The Saddlers Club next to the ground also had a conference on. The advertising revenue they get from their prime position next to the M6 must be significant as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostofcecere Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I would say Walsall are a similar sized club to ourselves that sit in a large(ish) catchment area, but suffer the same as us from bigger clubs being in that same area too. The main difference though is that they have not had the same level of success as us (as D_S says) so that probably why we consider them to be smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I consider Latics to be a much bigger club than Walsall, with potentially a bigger catchment area, with better players, a better coaching staff, and ultimately - more money to spend on wages... Shhh. You're not allowed to say this kind of thing anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 The answer to the questions you pose is no. The difference as I see it is that Walsall fans don't have the excuse that they've been to Wembley and the Premier League and got the t-shirts, so can't be arsed any more. That's why the chairman and manager despair about their plight. A lot of truth there. I dread to think what kind of state the club might be in if we didn't have those years to remind us of how much better things could potentially be (even if probably never quite so good again.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryowen Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Quite a lively debate brewing down below about ambition/wage bill, quality players, returning fans and promotion/stagnation. It was interesting to read Richard Money's (Walsall manager) article on the BBC website how the Chairman and himself were dismayed that the crowds hadn't returned to the Bescot despite Walsall hiting the play off's and a fantastic run of games. Now then a few questions sprung to mind... 1) Do Walsall have a bigger catchment area for fans? 2) Do you percieve Latics to be a bigger club than Walsall? 3) Would you consider Walsall to have a bigger playing wage budget than Latics? 4) Do Walsall have better players than Latics? 5) Do Walsall play more attractive football than Latics? 6) Are the players coached better tactically than Latics for each sides given talents? Hi Lags . Hope you are well. Not seen you around for a while. In my opinion it goes further than football matters. Rising costs in football and the fans ability to pay for his or her enjoyment is a key issue. As with Oldham you have to look at the infrastructure and what has happened over recent years with a failing economy. I believe we are a much poorer town now than we have been for years. With Walsall we also have a Midland club in an area blighted with massive industrial redundancies and I am sure they have also felt the strain. Regards Barry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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