FA Cup second-round replay with Chesterfield tomorrow...
Caretaker boss Neil Cutler admits the possibility of facing Dean Smith’s Brentford has given Walsall a “massive incentive” to beat Chesterfield in tomorrow’s FA Cup second-round replay.Smith, and his assistant Richard O’Kelly, joined the Bees from Walsall a fortnight ago, after guiding us to fourth in League One.
The Saddlers know that victory against Chesterfield will set up a third-round tie with our former boss at Griffin Park on 9th January.
And goalkeeping coach Cutler, who was brought to Walsall by Smith in May 2013, says the draw has given everyone extra motivation to reach round three.
“It’s a massive incentive now for the boys,” admitted Cutler.
“I was sitting there watching the draw with my family thinking ‘it’s just bound to happen’.
It was one of those things that was just meant to happen.
“We’ve got a big game against Chesterfield and we know it’s going to be tough but the boys have got a massive incentive to win the game.
“From a personal point of view, it’d be great for myself, Jon Whitney and John Ward to pit our wits against the gaffer who we’ve learned so much from over the past two or three years.
“It would be brilliant but we’ve got a massive game to think about first against Chesterfield.
“It’ll be a totally different game (to the original tie) and the conditions will be better.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to play the way we can play rather than deal with those conditions. I think it’ll be far better in this game.”
Tickets are still available for our second-round replay with Chesterfield at the Banks’s tomorrow night (kick-off 7.45pm).
Purchase yours now at https://www.eticketing.co.uk/walsallfc or call our ticket office on 01922 651416.