Mick Kearns has offered his advice to Clayton Ince as he is desperate to see the goalkeeper stay at Walsall.

The stopper is yet to agree a new deal, along with six of his team-mates, with boss Chris Hutchings’ four-week deadline to sign at an end this week.

Understudy Rene Gilmartin is also out of contract with Chris Palmer, Jabo Ibehre, Manny Smith, Netan Sansara and Sofiene Zaaboub.

And goalkeeping coach Kearns says, while he won’t approach Ince, he would be delighted if the Trinidad and Tobago international sought his counsel.

He said: “It’s not my position to go and speak to him about it, but, if he wants to ask my advice about it, then I’m happy to sit down. All I want are the best players for Walsall.

“Last season was a major underachievement for a club like Walsall. The minimum expectation levels should be the play-offs and I don’t think that’s unrealistic – therefore you want the best players.”

But, if Ince was to leave the Saddlers, Kearns is ready to make his recommendations of possible successors to Hutchings.

He said: “If Clayton was to go – and hopefully he doesn’t – then Chris might be coming to me and saying ‘what are we going to do about this goalkeeping situation?’ I might have to sit down with him to see what we’ll do but we’re all hopeful Clayton will sign.”