By Neil Ravenscroft
July 16 2003

The BBC have announced that Paul Merson is, indeed, a Saddler and will be unveiled with a big splash tomorrow. If it's the BBC, it must be true, musn't it? The BBC web site says that Walsall are now set to unveil Paul Merson as the new signing within the next 24 hours.

Colin Lee also revealed that he would be "groomed for a coaching and management role at the Bescot Stadium once he decides his playing days are over".

Merson has agreed a two-year deal with the club and the transfer should be formally announced after the midfielder completes a financial settlement with Portsmouth, where he has a year left to run on his contract.

Lee went on to say "It's fair to say we are looking at Paul Merson becoming a long-term figure at our football club".

We hope to make the announcement some time on Thursday, we're just waiting on confirmation Paul's received everything he's been promised at Portsmouth. Once that's been done then we can proceed. Without knowing every signing this club has made throughout its 115-year history, I would definitely rate Paul as being the biggest.

He did have interest from Nottingham Forest and Reading, two clubs who reached the play-offs last year remember.

But he's stuck by what he said to me when he promised he would come to Walsall and I think that shows his calibre as a person off the field.

And we all know about his calibre on the field.
At the end of the day he wants to come and work with me and I think that was a big factor in his decision."

For once in my life, where Walsall Football Club is concerned, I'm speechless.