Dean Smith has always backed his Walsall fighters — and he’s not about to give up on them now.

The Saddlers host Charlton tomorrow knowing a win would put them within touching distance of League One survival.

Sitting one point above the drop zone with two games left, the turnaround since January has been monumental. Despite disappointing 1-1 draws with Sheffield Wednesday and Oldham over the Easter weekend, the Saddlers moved out of the bottom four to put themselves in with a chance of pulling off the Great Escape.

Survival cannot be mathematically confirmed tomorrow — by virtue of Plymouth’s game in hand with Southampton on Monday — but should Dagenham, Bristol Rovers and the Pilgrims all lose and the Saddlers win, they could be safe by Monday evening.

The Daggers host Carlisle while Sheffield Wednesday travel to Rovers and Plymouth face Exeter at St James’ Park (12pm) in a make-or-break afternoon. And, ahead of the season’s finale, boss Smith is putting his faith in the men who can lead Walsall to safety.

“Knowing how to handle them is part of my job and I know the ones who are ready and who you can trust,” he said.

“We see the players every day and I know what each one is about now — mentally, physically, technically and tactically. You get to know the players and in the last three or four months

I know what makes each of them tick. I know what’s needed and what I’m going to get from them.

“I felt we should have won over Easter but we’re still unbeaten. It would have been nice to win but we’re probably in the best position we’ve been in in the league since September. It’s a great stride from where we were in January.”

An afternoon of high drama will be in store at the Banks’s Stadium and the boss knows ignoring the scores elsewhere will be impossible.

He said: “After the game you find out soon enough and you want to know to see where you’re at. But I’m sure the supporters will have their radios, Blackberrys and iPhones to have a look at the scores as they come through.

“If the results are going our way then I’m sure they will let us know.  But we can’t lose focus on our job and that’s to get three points against Charlton.”
Smith is without Aaron Lescott (knee) and Clayton McDonald (dislocated shoulder).