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Free agent Greg Halford aiming for Walsall deal after training with the club in March

Greg Halford has revealed he is hoping to earn a contract with Walsall, having spent time training with the club before the coronavirus pandemic suspended football.

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The former Wolves defender has been without a club since leaving Aberdeen last summer – only making two substitute appearances during his time in Scotland.

Now, speaking to The News, the 35-year-old has revealed that former Walsall assistant manager Marcus Stewart and Saddlers manager Darrell Clarke invited him in to train in March, where he competed two sessions before the coronavirus outbreak caused football to be suspended.

"Before this pandemic I had been training with Walsall," he said.

"They were looking at me to see if I could bring anything to the team and, once we are back in training, it will resume.

"It was so good just to put my boots back on, get on grass and to kick a ball again. It made me realise just how much I missed doing that.

"Since Aberdeen, I kind of accepted my career was over, so I was calling myself semi-retired. But I was hoping I would get another opportunity.

"Then I got in touch with Marcus Stewart, the assistant at Walsall. I had played against him loads of times and he passed it onto the manager – who said 'Come in'.

"I am grateful for them even letting me come in and do training. While they didn’t say a deal is there in so many words, the way I look at it is a club wouldn’t invite someone to come in if they weren’t looking for something to improve the team.

"If I can impress in training and do what I know I can – and get up to speed as quickly as possible – perhaps there’s a possibility in the long run.

"It is down to me to pull my finger out and get back to the standard I want to be at, but, more importantly, a standard they are happy with.

"Whether it could be a deal on the table or pay as you play, as long as I am in training and playing games, that’s all that matters.

"I have never cared about money when it comes to football, I have always said if I could play for free I really would – and that shows the character I am."

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