Walsall at Wembley: Rival fans switch colours for the day
They may be loyal to their respective teams, but fans of West Bromwich Albion, Wolves and Aston Villa will be switching their colours to red and white this weekend as they unite in support of the Saddlers to roar on Walsall at Wembley.
Despite being a rival Midlands club, many parts of the region will join forces in supporting the Saddlers for their historic first appearance at Wembley.
For many football fans, Walsall is their second club, and will be willing the team to victory when they take on Bristol City in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final on Sunday.
Aston Villa supporter Jim Harvey was a member of the junior Saddlers as a youngster, but has been of full claret and blue persuasion since the age of 12.
He went to watch the Saddlers at the Millennium Stadium against Reading even missing the birth of his first child.
Liam, who is now aged 13, was born during extra time, with steel erector Jim getting a message on his phone to inform him just before the team scored the winner. It had been agreed he would not be in the room for the delivery and his now wife Emma was two weeks overdue.
The 37 year-old who is originally from Bloxwich but now lives in Autumn Drive will be backing the Walsall players again at Wembley.
The father-of-two said: "They are a local club and you want to support your local team. There are quite a few Villa fans who are from Bloxwich and Walsall who are going down to Wembley. There are Manchester United and Liverpool fans I know too.
"It is a big thing for Walsall getting to Wembley. Everybody sees Walsall as a second team. They have a soft spot for them and everyone I speak to is rooting for Walsall.
"It is a bit romantic, they have been to Wembley and there are not many clubs who have not been."
Teacher David Dawes is an Albion fan but will be 100 per cent behind the Saddlers when they take the field.
He is going with a group of family members to the match along with his Villa-supporting wife Caroline.
The 29 year-old from Broadmeadow, Aldridge, and is employed at Blue Coat Academy. He said: "I work in Walsall and thought I would go along and support them.
"It is nice they are going to get their day in the sun. It is nice to see a club in the Midlands do well.
"It will help to raise the profile of the Midlands football. They are everyone's second team, you want to see them do well.
"Albion are not really rivals. The chances of meeting them in the league are quite slim at the moment."
Muriel Bates, treasurer of Wolverhampton Wanderers Official Supporters Club, said there will be fans from Molineux cheering on the Saddlers at the home of football.
She said there are Wolves supporters who go to the Banks's Stadium when Wanderers are playing away. "I think Walsall will win and quite a few Wolves fans will be there cheering.
"It is a nice club and we are all right behind Walsall.
"Wolves have always had a soft spot for Walsall. I am fed up of the north and south winning everything. "It is time the Midlands did something. Winning the cup on Sunday would really give the club a boost which they deserve. It would boost everyone across the Midlands."
