Chris Hutchings' gauntlet to players

Walsall manager Chris Hutchings has threw down the gauntlet to his players and warned them "you are just names on paper."

The manager pulled no punches after the Saddlers' dismal start to the season and expects his men to start justifying their reputations.

Tomorrow's League One trip to Dagenham is already key with the teams locked on 10 points at the wrong end of the table after the Saddlers' first win in nine games against Exeter last week.

Hutchings' troops have struggled this season - winning just three of their 11 games - putting him under pressure following the poor start.

Now the Saddlers boss wants his players to show their true potential as Jonathan Macken, Andrew Davies and Julian Gray all boast Premier League experience, while Matt Richards played in the UEFA Cup with Ipswich.

Reuben Reid, David Davis, Andrew Davies and Ryan McGivern are also on loan from top-flight outfits Albion, Wolves, Stoke and Manchester City.

But Hutchings insists their past glories count for nothing unless they perform.

He said: "They are only names on paper and if they haven't got the right attitude out there then their name means nothing. It will be about attitude and Dagenham will have attitude in abundance.

"You have to mix it up sometimes, Dagenham will want to pass it about but first and foremost they will work their socks off. We have to match that and hope the ability we have carries us through.

"There are no easy games, no matter what people say. People can perceive it to be easy but Dagenham have had some good results against better opposition.

"There are no foregone conclusions and you have to work for everything you get in this game."

The Saddlers are 20th, a place above the Daggers on goal difference.

While the manager notes the importance of not getting left behind, Hutchings insists Walsall are far from being cut adrift.

He said: "If you put a few wins together the scenario changes very quickly. Swindon won in midweek and they jumped six or seven places.

"Exeter would have been fourth if they'd beaten us but now they are mid-table so it is very tight.

"We've got to put three or four wins together and maintain it."

Manny Smith and Davies are expected to partner each other in central defence as the club bid to keep just their second clean sheet of the season.

Smith has had three different partners at the back - Davies, Clayton McDonald and Oliver Lancashire - and Hutchings feels they have addressed the problem after signing Davies.

The manager said: "It was something we knew we had to deal with. Hopefully we can get a few clean sheets and, if we don't, we have to make sure we score more than the opposition.

"Andrew's an old fashioned centre-half and that's no disrespect to him, he won't mind me saying it."

Daggers boss John Still has signed Crystal Palace youngster Nathaniel Pinney on a month's loan, who goes straight into the squad.