Play-offs ended in frustration for plucky Saddlers
Walloped by Crewe, home and away, after beating them twice in the league
Season 1992-93 Continued
Micky Mellon missed the play-off final having picked up a red card in the second leg of the semis
WEST Bromiwch Albion had successfully navigated the play-offs, beating Port Vale in the final to reach the top tier.
Walsall meanwhile, also reached the playoffs in League Division Three, finishing fifth in the table behind Cardiff City (the champions), Wrexham, Barnet and York City.
They won 22 matches (11 at home, 11 away), drew seven and lost 13, scored 76 goals and conceded 61 for a points tally 73 … 10 less than Cardiff.
A 4-0 win at Halifax was the Saddlers’ best victory while their heaviest defeat was a 4-1 reverse at Scarborough. Wayne Clarke with 21 goals, 4 of them penalties, top-scored in the League; Michele Cecere netted 16 and Rod Mcdonald 12. In the play-offs Walsall lost 9-3 on aggregate to Crewe Alexandra (1-5 away and 2-4 at home) … and noone could really believe these scorelines – as the Saddlers had completed a League double over the Railwaymen just a month earlier! In the FA Cup of 1992-93, Albion ousted Aylesbury 8-0 and Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 in a replay (after a 2-2 draw) before losing 2-0 at West Ham in round three. Wolves won 4-1 at Watford before going out at the hands of Bolton by 2-0 in round 4. And Walsall went out in the first round, battered 4-0 by Rotherham.
Eliminated
In other competitions, Albion beat Walsall 4-0, Mansfield Town 1-0 and Torquay United 2-1 before losing 2-1 at Stoke in the Autoglass Trophy.
Wolves defeated Tranmere 2-1 and Peterborough United 2-0 in the first phase of the initial Premilinary round of the Anglo-italian Cup, but were then eliminated after drawing 3-3 with Stoke and 2-2 in the next stage of the competition.
Walsall defeated Bournemouth 2-1 on aggregate in the opening round but then crumbled to a 4-0 aggregate defeat at the hands of Chelsea in round 2.
News from within the clubs … two key players signed by Albion were midfielder Ian Hamilton and striker Andy Hunt (who scored a hat-trick v. Brighton on his debut). Gary Robson left the club for Bradford City after making 282 appearances, and striker Colin West went south to Swansea. He was sent-off with Albion’s Micky Mellon in the second leg of the playoff semi-final. Mellon therefore missed the final due to his red card.
Also in 1992, local businessman Trevor Summers became Albion’s chairman.
Over at Molineux and Keith Downing was transferred to Birmingham City and Andy Mutch to Swansea, the latter having netted 106 goals in 338 appearances for the Wanderers.
Charge
Walsall were sitting in ninth position in the Division with seven games remaining, and after two draws and five wins they found themselves in fifth position when the final ball was kicked, but unfortunately after that terrific end-of-season charge, it all went wrong against Crewe!