By Neil Ravenscroft
April 19 2004

Tonight should be a big night for supporters, with Gilbert Alsop honoured, the Focus Group Meeting and, hopefully, a big announcement! Tonight, at 7pm, the Royal Oak, Lord Street, Palfrey will be renaming its Smoke Room 'The Gilbert Alsop Room'. This is in honour of the record breaking Walsall FC striker.

The Room will have a large framed portrait of the man himself provided by the unofficial Walsall Fanzine, 90 Minutes From Europe. The picture will be unveiled at 7 pm, so that fans wishing to attend the Supporters Liaison Committee Focus Group Meeting, which starts in the Saddlers Club at 8pm, may do so.

We do have other reasons, however, just as important as witnessing this tribute to one of the club greats, for having as many fans as possible to attend the event. TheSaddlersFC.com is co-operating with the fanzine, 90 Minutes From Europe, the other unofficial web sites, Upthesaddlers.com and Walsall Mad, and, hopefully, the Supporters Trust, in what may be the launch of an exciting new supporters initiative.

Plans and talks for a campaign of positive support between now and the end of the season are taking shape.

With just four games to go this season, Walsall FC are still to secure their first division status. The aim of this proposed campaign is to make Bescot a cauldron of positive support and noise for our final fixtures.

Final details of this initiative will be made at the unveiling of the Gilbert Alsop room at the Royal Oak, Lord Street, Palfrey at 7pm, Monday 19th April.

This could well turn out to be one of the most important periods in the history of the football club, as, with the best will in the world, relegation to the second division might mean our current status being unachievable again, given the club’s lack of resources. It is incumbent on all supporters to do their bit to rectify that situation. This will be your chance.

Never mind your Country, YOUR FOOTBALL CLUB NEEDS YOU!

Lastly, the Club's Supporter's Forum meeting is also tonight at 8.00 pm in the Saddlers' Club. This is a chance to quiz Roy Whalley about the goings on of the last two weeks and the general running of the club. Whether he'll give any answers is another matter entirely.