THE GROUND
Banks’s Stadium
Bescot Crescent
Walsall
West Midlands
WS1 4SA
The 11,300 capacity Banks’s Stadium, better known as the Bescot Stadium, has been home to Walsall since 1990 when the club left their Fellows Park ground.
Despite being just over 20 years old the ground has been upgraded, with seats installed behind both goals and one end turned into the imposing Tile Choice Stand, which is clearly visible from the M6.
Away supporters are usually housed opposite that large stand in the Sign Specialists Stand and there is room for around 2,000.
THE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
It is approximately 129 miles from Griffin Park to the Banks’s Stadium by road.
The stadium is very close to junction nine of the M6; take the A461 and A4148 to the ground.
There is parking available at the stadium and also in nearby industrial estates.
The nearest station to the ground is Bescot Stadium, which is right next door.
Bescot Stadium station is served by London Midland services and to get there involves changing at Birmingham New Street.
Supporters can reach Birmingham New Street by catching a Virgin Trains or London Midland service from Euston, a CrossCountry service from Reading or taking a Chiltern Railways service from Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill and walking across the city centre.
The Supporters’ Association will be running coaches to every game this season – details of times and prices will be announced in due course.
THE RECENT HISTORY
Walsall’s 2012/13 season turned out to be their best for a number of years.
After escaping relegation by the skin of their teeth in 2010/11, when they were bottom at Christmas, and finishing 19th in 2011/12, they put together a push for a Play-Off place last season.
The Saddlers lost only two of their first nine games and although they went 13 league matches without in the run up Christmas, they drew many of them and came back strongly.
From December 22 to February 9 Walsall won eight of ten league games and they did not lose between January 26 and the final day of the season.
Ultimately, too many draws in March and April, seven in nine game before a last day defeat against Crewe Alexandra, cost them.
They eventually finished ninth in League One, six points outside the Play-Offs.
Walsall will therefore be starting their seventh season in the third tier, a spell that came after a periods of ups and downs.
They suffered successive relegations in 1989 and 1990 to go from second tier to fourth but spent three seasons in what is now The Championship between 2001 and 2004.
They were last relegated from the third tier in 2006 but came straight back up and this will be their seventh year at this level.
THE MANAGER
Dean Smith took over as Walsall caretaker manager in January 2011 when Chris Hutchings left the club before getting the job on a permanent basis.
The 42-year-old started his playing career with The Saddlers and also played for Hereford United, Leyton Orient, Sheffield Wednesday and Port Vale during a 16-year career.
He moved in to coaching at Orient, first as youth team coach and then assistant manager before he returned to Walsall to work in the youth department in the summer of 2009.
After a good start to his managerial reign he was handed the Walsall job permanently and is now the fifth longest serving manager in League One and 12th in league football.
THE TOP SCORER
Will Grigg finished as Walsall’s top scorer last season, notching 20 goals in all competitions and 19 in League One.
The striker, who turned 22 last, was out of contract at Walsall on June 30 and signed for Brentford on July 1.
The Saddlers are entitled to compensation due to Will’s age and negotiations are still taking place.
Will turned professional at Walsall in the summer of 2009, having made his debut as a scholar during the previous season.
He scored 20 goals in 45 games in all competitions last season and 19 in 41 League One matches.
Will played for Northern Ireland at Under-19 and Under-21 level and made his full debut against The Netherlands just over a year ago – he won a further cap, his first start, against Malta in February.
THE KEY MEN
Walsall have lost their three key attacking players from the 2012/13 season.
Will Grigg has joined Brentford while Fabian Brandy, who scored seven goals in 37 games last season, moved to Sheffield United when his contract expired.
Jamie Paterson, who scored 13 goals in 51 games in all competitions, was bought by Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee earlier this month.
That trio played a key role as Walsall finished just outside the Play-Off places but didn’t operate alone.
In defence left back Andy Taylor, who was on trial at Brentford last summer, played 34 League One games while Andy Butler played 41 and Paul Downing 31.
Adam Chambers played 37 League One games in midfield, James Baxendale featured in 32 and Nicky Featherstone 31.
Apart from the attacking trio, none of those key players have left Walsall this summer but Dean Smith has not yet started to add to his squad so it looks a little thin in attack at present.
THE FIRST MEETING
December 5 1927, Football League Division Three (Southern Section) – Brentford 3 Walsall 2
Brentford line-up: Ferguson; Butler, Winship; Hodge, Ward, Dearn; Lawson, Lane, Wiggins, Watkins, Berry
Brentford goal scorers: Watkins, Dearn, Lane
The teams had met on November 19 but the match was abandoned with Brentford 4-1 up due to bad light.
THE LAST MEETING
February 23 2013, npower League One – Brentford 0 Walsall 0
Brentford line-up: S. Moore; Logan, Dean, Craig, Bidwell; Donaldson, Adeyemi (sub Diagouraga), Douglas, Forshaw (sub Saunders); Wright-Phillips (sub Forrester), Trotta
Subs (not used): Lee, L. Moore, Barron, Hayes
Brentford were held to a 0-0 draw at a freezing Griffin Park by a combative and well-drilled Walsall team.
Click here for a full match report.
THE MEMORABLE DAY
January 19 1957, Football League Division Three South – Walsall 7 Brentford 0
Brentford line-up: Newton; Bragg, Russell; Peplow, Robinson, Coote; Newcombe, Goundry, Dudley, Rainford, Parsons
A defeat that is still Brentford’s joint biggest in their Football League history.