dcfc.co.uk details the key points you need to know ahead of Derby County’s clash with Sky Bet League 1 play-off semi-finalists Walsall at the Banks’s Stadium…

The Saddlers have enjoyed a rich history since the two leading clubs in Walsall, namely Walsall Swifts and Walsall Town, merged to form Walsall Town Swifts in 1888.

A founding member of the Second Division in 1892, the club notably have spent their entire existence outside of the top flight of English football – with their highest league finish coming in 1962 when they finished fourteenth in Division Two.

Notably, the 1980s and 1990s particularly proved to be a busy time for Walsall with the club changing hands ownership hands on two separate occasions.

The 1983/84 season saw Walsall defeat First Division Arsenal in the League Cup at Highbury and advanced through to the semi-final stages of the competition, leaving them just two games away from playing European football.

A 4-2 aggregate defeat to Liverpool ended that hope and in the same campaign, the Saddlers missed out on promotion to the Second Division.

Walsall moved to their new ground -now known as the Banks’s Stadium – in 1990 having played at Fellows Park for over a century.

Languishing in the fourth tier of English football following a period of yo-yoing, the early 00s marked as a resurgence for the club as they claimed the League Two title in 2007.

After stopping up the following season and again in 2011 and 2012, Walsall were on the cusp of getting promoted to the Championship for the first time – missing out via the play-offs.

Walsall also reached the final of the Football League Trophy and for the first time in their 127-year history played at Wembley, although they lost to Bristol City.

NOTABLE PLAYERS TO PULL ON THE WALSALL JERSEY

Gareth AinsworthPaul MersonChris BairdPaul Boertien (Ex Derby)Tom BradshawAlan BuckleyScott DannKarl DarlowBen Davies (Ex Derby)Troy DeeneyMatty FryattWill GriggSimeon JacksonJon Macken (Ex Derby)Gary O’NeilMarco Reich (Ex Derby)

CURRENT SQUAD PROFILE

Derby County’s strike force will come face to face with either Neil Etheridge or Craig MacGillivray in between the goalposts this afternoon.

The latter started and played 90 minutes in Walsall’s 1-1 draw with Birmingham City on Tuesday.

New signing Joe Edwards, former of Yeovil Town, also featured and could face the Rams today. Rico Henry, an England Under 19 international, continues to catch the eye and he is one to watch.

James O’Connor, the former Derby versatile operator, joined Walsall from the Rams in 2014 and has been a mainstay with the club since then.

Jason McCarthy joined the club on loan from Southampton and could feature against Derby, whilst Club Captain Adam Chambers is likely to get more minutes under his belt after playing 67 minutes against Birmingham.

Up front, young striker Amadou Bakayoko has hit the ground running with three goals in two outings and will be looking to continue his fine streak against Derby.

Walsall team that faced Birmingham on Tuesday: MacGillivray, Edwards (Kinsella, 67), Henry (Peters, 75), O’Connor (Roberts, 75), McCarthy (Preston, 67), Chambers (Sangha, 67), Cuvelier (Kouhyar, 45), Oztumer (Shorrock, 67), Morris (Cockerill-Mollett, 75), Bakayoko (Tonks, 75), Osbourne (Dobson, 67)

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