Walsall boss Darrell Clarke steeled for Iron tester

The Iron are unbeaten in five games in all competitions and last lost in the league on October 19.

Walsall won 1-0 in the reverse fixture at the Banks’s Stadium on September 21 thanks to James Clarke’s superb bicycle kick against a struggling Paul Hurst side.

But Darrell Clarke says he was never surprised to see Scunthorpe turn their form around. “Why would you not stay patient with Paul Hurst?,” he said.

“He’s got promotions on his CV and he knows success.

“You live in a mad world of football and everyone thinks there’s a switch and turn it on.

“Managers don’t become bad managers after a two or three-month period.

“Have a look what these managers have done and achieved in their career and give them time and they’ll turn it around.

“It’s strange and we understand it as managers, you’re in a world where everybody thinks it can happen overnight.

“You build a platform, that’s what he’s trying to do there and that’s what I’m trying to do here. There’s bumps along the way but if you keep together, siege mentality and belief.

“He has got some good players and I’m looking forward to the game.

“Big name players, decent salaries and on paper, they’ve got one of the top seven squads but you don’t win football games on paper.

“Hurst has got a good tune out of them but we’ve got to go there full of confidence, I know their fans will be up for it but we’ll have a good attendance and it’s another game where we’ll look to put on a good performance.”