Walsall caretaker-boss Jimmy Mullen today revealed his desire to take the job full-time.

Mullen had an immediate impact upon arriving at the Banks’s as assistant manager in September and as the man in possession, he has to be regarded as a live contender.

“I have applied for the job,” Mullen said.

“I had a chat with the chairman the other day and he asked me if I would be interested in applying for the job and I said yes.

“I’ve enjoyed my time here and I didn’t feel as if there was any reason why I shouldn’t, so yes I have applied.”

Mullen’s first game at the club was at Hartlepool, immediately after the 3-0 home defeat to Oldham had consigned Walsall to the bottom of League One and from there they went on a record breaking unbeaten run, which gives further credibility to his chances.

“As we know the results after Hartlepool were very positive, which was very pleasing from my point of view.

“But I’m just continuing the job that I’ve been brought in to do and I’ll continue to do that until the end. I’ve said to one or two people that I want to get the disappointment of last Saturday out of our systems, because that was an absolute shambles.

“We’ve got a point to prove that we’re better than that and as far as I’m concerned we’ve got two games to put that right and that’s all I’m interested in and whatever happens after that will take care of itself.”

Jimmy took over from Richard Money who quit on Tuseday after two years in the job.