Smith proud to make Wembley history
Dean Smith expressed his pride at becoming the first manager ever to lead Walsall to Wembley after the Saddlers booked their date under the arch on Tuesday night.
The West Midlands outfit overcame Preston North End 2-0 on aggregate in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Northern Area Final and, as a result, will visit the national stadium for the first time in their 127 year history.
Smith says it will be an enormous honour to lead his team out at Wembley on 22 March.
“It means a lot to a lot of people at this football club to get to Wembley,” he said after the game.
“It is unbelievable for me personally, there have been some unbelievable managers at this football club and I try to emulate them.
“To be the first to take this club to Wembley is historic and I’m really proud of it.
“It will certainly be an enjoyable day and a proud moment when I lead the team out on March 22nd.”
Walsall went into Tuesday night’s second leg at The Banks’s Stadium already holding a two goal lead after a magnificent display at Deepdale.
Despite a tense atmosphere amongst the home crowd throughout the second leg, Smith says he never actually felt nervous himself.
“I felt comfortable all game,” he admitted after the final whistle.
“It was quite funny, when there was about 12 minutes to go some sections of the crowd started singing Wembley and other sections were a bit superstitious and said ‘no, stop it’
“It is unbelievable for the whole area, it will give everyone a big boost and hopefully a lot of the supporters who were here tonight will keep coming along.”
Smith also hopes that Walsall’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy run can prove a catalyst for the Saddlers to push on in the league.
The Black Country outfit are currently 15th in League One, four points off the play-offs but Smith believes there’s no reason his side can’t put together a promotion push between now and the end of the season.
“I’d like a Wembley double. We feel we are right in a play-off push in a really tight league and our form has not been bad over the last two months.
“We have a game on Sunday now against Gillingham but tonight we will certainly celebrate and look forward to March 22nd.”