Sofiene Zaaboub is ready for his fresh start at Walsall, but knows he faces a fight to regain his place in the side.

The French midfielder has endured a torrid time with injury since his summer arrival on a free from Swindon Town but has now fully recovered from groin and back complaints.

He is now ready to make up for lost time after making a slow start to his Saddlers career.

He said: “I want to show the manager I am ready to start the games, this is what I am doing every day in training.

“I am trying to do my best but I have great respect for my team-mates and it is not easy coming back from injury. We have had a few good games recently so I may have to wait.”

The 25-year-old made a surprise return ahead of schedule as a second-half substitute in the Saddlers’ 3-0 defeat at Leeds last Saturday.

He wants to show the fans he can play a key role this season.

He said: “I want to do my best and I am fit. It is a fresh season now and I have to forget everything else. In pre-season I was injured and nobody knew that when I was on the pitch and people were saying “what is he doing here?”

“I had a bad back and I tried to do my best. After that I injured my groin.”