Richards: Walsall will thrive as underdogs

Matt Richards today claimed Walsall will thrive on their underdog tag next season.

The midfielder expects the Saddlers to upset the odds in League One - which starts with the visit of MK Dons in two weeks.

He said: "Teams will underestimate us, think 'it's only Walsall'. But we turned over some of the top teams like Leeds last season. We went there and beat them, but some teams will underestimate us. They think they are going to turn up and win.

"It takes a little bit of pressure off us. If we were one of the top teams then it could affect us but we can relax and improve this season."

The Saddlers host relegated Plymouth and go to much-fancied Brighton in the first month before playing play-off hopefuls Colchester and Swindon in September.

But Richards says it is the games against the likes of Rochdale and Hartlepool where the squad need to up their game.

"It's not really where we need to improve, we dominated against the top teams last season," said the 24-year-old, ahead of the Saddlers' final pre-season games against Villa on Tuesday and Port Vale on Saturday.

"It's about killing off the so-called lesser teams and the sides at the bottom of the league.

"We had some disappointing results, losing and drawing when we should have won, against the struggling sides last season."

"That's where we can improve but in the case of the top teams we did exceptionally well."