Will Grigg has vowed to banish Walsall’s relegation fears after learning from the Saddlers’ brush with the drop from League One.

The striker has urged his team-mates to use their season of struggle to inspire them next term and ensure they don’t suffer another fright.

The Saddlers pulled off the ultimate Great Escape after beating the drop on the final day of the season – despite being eight points from the safety line at New Year.

But Grigg doesn’t want another close shave – but warned they cannot forget the feeling if they want to improve.

He said: “We don’t want the feeling of being in the bottom four again. It was a great feeling being safe on the last day but we want the feeling of getting promoted on the last day or getting into the play-offs on the last day.

“We have to remember the difference in emotions. At Southampton we went down into the changing room and there were loads of champagne and then came out and saw the fans.

“We were in the stands celebrating with the fans so it was great but we want more.

“That’s what everyone wants.”

The club exercised their option in Grigg’s contract to extend it for another year after a season which saw him make a serious first team breakthrough.

The 19-year-old made his first start in the 1-0 FA Cup defeat at Torquay in November – two years after his senior debut at Cheltenham – and scored crucial goals against Dagenham & Redbridge and Charlton.

And the teenager, who played in the final day 3-1 defeat at Southampton, revelled in the experience of the Saddlers’ final day escape.

He said: “It was brilliant feeling. We knew we didn’t necessarily need to win but days like that are why you play football. It was just a great day and time for the lads and fans.”

Meanwhile, work has already started to relay the Banks’s Stadium pitch ahead of the 2011-12 season.

The ground staff started tending to the pitch on Monday and have laid 30 tonnes of sand and 24 bags of seed.

Groundsman Derek McCann said: “Everything is on schedule and we’re all working extremely hard as this is an important stage of the operation.”