'Steve Cotterill, Dubai & Mansfield' - Inside the summer Aden Flint joined Walsall

A free agent at the time, Flint checked into his hotel in Dubai, where unbeknown to him, his former Bristol City manager Steve Cotterill was also staying.

Even in his down time, he remained committed to his craft, preparing for the future regardless of who it was going to be with.

Bumping into his old boss in Dubai

"His body fat was one of the lowest in the squad in all the time we were at Bristol City and I don't think he has changed with that," Cotterill claimed.

"I saw him on holiday and I spoke to him every day. He was in the gym and still doing all of the things that you would expect a professional to do."

The work in the shadows is often what gives a footballer the edge, but for Flint, it's the very reason why he is still plying his trade in the Football League at the impressive age of 36.

"Steve collared me in Dubai when were staying in the same hotel," the Walsall defender explains.

"I like Steve and he is a great guy. He helped launch my Bristol City career, but I'm at an age now where I need to be looking after myself a lot more than what I did when I was younger.

"That's a given because if I want to be playing as long as I can then it needs to be done."

Training with Mansfield in the off-season

Cotterill not only witnessed Flint's commitment in the off-season first hand, but also offered words of advice for a player he has remained close to since last coaching him at the end of 2016. 

"He rang me up about Walsall and asked me for my thoughts. I said to him that it would be an excellent move," Cotterill reveals. 

"Mat Sadler is as good of a younger manager that is currently out there. He has done a tremendous job and is very well supported by Gary Waddock, who I've known for 30 or 40 years. 

"Gary is a great man, a good coach, who understands the game and will be great for Mat. Both are ably assisted by Darren Byfield who is another good lad. 

"Aden is walking into a club that is really unified. They all want to go in the same direction and I thought they were incredibly unlucky last year."

It was also with the help of another former manager, and his most recent prior to Sadler, that he maintained his sharpness over the summer months. 

Flint only joined Walsall midway into pre-season, but was able to continue working with his old employers Mansfield Town thanks to Nigel Clough following his release.

"Steve actually told me to keep fit and train with Mansfield. So I spoke to Nigel Clough and he said I could comeback and do whatever I needed to do. 

"That put me in good stead. Just a bit of experience from Steve and thanks to Nigel for letting me train to keep fit. 

"I came in for a couple of weeks here and it feels like I've done a full pre-season." 

'Age is just a number'

That work has clearly had the desired effect, as Flint continues to serve as the living embodiment that: 'age is just a number'. 

Just ask Sadler, or any Walsall fan for that matter. This could very well prove to be the signing of the summer, if it isn't already.

"Aden is doing great and he's playing very well. He's a leader and a man mountain," Sadler recently raved.

There's still a long season ahead, but the early evidence suggests Flint could be the missing link that Walsall have so desperately needed.