Butler out of favour with Money

Oct 1 2007 By Brian Halford, Birmingham Mail

PAUL Hall's last-gasp goal, his first for the club, lifted Walsall to a 1-0 win at Hartlepool and off the bottom of League One.

And the Saddlers' hugely impressive display, not least from strikers Tommy Mooney and Troy Deeney, could herald a changing of the guard up front.

With Martin Butler dropped from the 16, the experienced Mooney and young Deeney struck up an alliance which looked full of promise.

And Hall's spectacular strike, as a second-half substitute, further fuelled the suspicion that Butler is on his way out of the club.

Asked about Butler's absence, manager Richard Money's reply revealed nothing and, at the same time, plenty.

"I don't want to talk about Martin," Money said. "I don't think we really need to talk about Martin Butler after a performance like that."

Safe to say the unsettled striker, who cut a lacklustre figure in the 3-0 home defeat to Oldham last week, is not top of Money's affections right now.

And the manager's team selection on Saturday was fully vindicated after his side created far more chances than high-flying Hartlepool - and, crucially, converted one with Hall's injury-time strike.

"Paul is a very valuable sub to have," Money said. "We started with Troy because we need to give him as much experience as we can and Tommy and Troy were a good foil for each other.

"But Paul gave us something different. All through his career he has been liable to stick a chance away if it comes along. And he tucked that one away very well. Even after that, we could have had another two goals."