Walsall face Chesterfield on Saturday...
Jon Whitney his warned Chesterfield to be “ready for a battle” when his Walsall side visit the Proact Stadium this weekend.The League One clash will be the 45-year-old’s first game since being appointed as interim head coach.
Incidentally, when Whitney took joint-caretaker charge earlier this season, along with Neil Cutler and John Ward, two of his three matches came against Chesterfield in the FA Cup second round.
Each of those meetings finished in draws – 1-1 and 0-0 – although Walsall eventually prevailed 5-3 on penalties after the replay.
Chesterfield, now managed by the vastly-experienced Danny Wilson, have improved of late and currently sit 18th in League One, unbeaten in five.
But Whitney believes that if we get our game plan right, then any opponent will struggle to stop us.
“It’s ironic that we’re playing Chesterfield again - I feel like I know their players better than I know my own family!” Whitney joked.
“Danny’s come in and they’ve got a bit more confidence now. He’ll be over there now thinking ‘Whits has come in, will there be a bit of a change?’
“I love the fact I’m competing with him. I want my players to enjoy and revel in the fact we’re going into battle again for this game and we’ll be doing our utmost to upset their game plan.
“If we can get our game plan right and our work ethos, then it will be a hell of an opposition to try and stop us.
“We’ll respect Chesterfield but they’ve got be ready for a battle on Saturday.”