Winger praises Walsall's team spirit...
Irish winger Anthony Forde has hailed the togetherness in the Walsall squad.The Saddlers are second in League One and can go top with victory over leaders Gillingham tomorrow afternoon.
It has been Walsall’s best start to a third-tier campaign in 15 years - and Forde believes our success is down to a strong team spirit.
“We’ve got a great group of lads and everyone is really together,” said the 21-year-old.
“We all get on really well and we’ve got a good work ethic. Everything we do in the gym and in training, we do together.
“It’s a very competitive group and the standards have probably gone up this year.
“We’re very organised and we earn the right to play because we do our work well off the ball, and on the ball we’ve shown what we can do.
“We all want to get the best out of each other and we try to do that every day.”
Forde has started Walsall’s last two matches and provided the assist for Romaine Sawyers’ opener at Colchester last Saturday.
“I was very pleased with my own performance at Colchester, and with how I played against Barnsley in the game before,” said Forde.
“I’m just trying to do my best and hopefully I can score some more goals.
"It's a bit frustrating (not playing) but when my chance comes I have to take it and I feel that's what I've done.
"I'm probably not going to play in a 3-5-2 but I've got to respect the gaffer's decision (to use that formation) because it's worked for us.
"I still want to be playing in that formation, but if I'm not, then I've got to be ready to come off the bench and help the team get a result."
Second hosts first at the Banks’s tomorrow – and Forde is anticipating an entertaining affair.
“It’s a big one, just like the Burton game,” he added.
“It should be a good game because they’re a good side and it’s a top-of-the-clash.
“Beating Burton probably does give us a boost because we’ve been in this position before. It was such a good feeling to win that game and go top, and we want to do it again.”