Can Dean Smith help steer Saddlers to safety?

Can Dean Smith pull off the Great Escape this year at Walsall? It is still possible, says Nick Mashiter

When Dean Smith took the Banks's Stadium reins Walsall were a lost cause.

On January 4, Smith was handed the keys to the Titanic. A fast-sinking ship, the Saddlers were only going one way. Some questioned his sanity, leaving a secure job as head of youth for a role which has an average life expectancy of 18 months.

The manager knows the drill, though. It's a requirement of all Saddlers bosses that they come with a predetermined sense of perceptive.

And in his first eight games Smith has brought tangible hope to the deflated masses.

Within five weeks he has plugged the iceberg-sized gap in morale to breathe fresh life into the club.

Just two defeats represent a dramatic turnaround following the catastrophic end to the Chris Hutchings era. And Saturday's 3-1 win at Carlisle gave weight to the Saddlers' League One survival claims.

Smith has refused to get carried away, of course, and adopted a pragmatic but determined approach.

"One of my philosophies is never to waste grey matter on things that haven't happened yet," he said, ahead of Saturday's visit of Bournemouth.

But an escape plan is the only thing on the long-suffering fans' minds — especially with just six points separating Leyton Orient in 11th to Swindon in 21st

It leaves the Saddlers nine points off mid-table. Once upon a time they were nine from safety.

Should their form continue — they are unbeaten in four — then what once looked an impossible task could be a possibility.

And Smith's assertion of survival being in Walsall's hands is bang on.

They are still to play — with the exception of Bristol Rovers, Tranmere and Notts County — every one of their drop rivals.

Indeed, seven days in March when they face Swindon, Leyton Orient and Yeovil will have a massive impact on the season.

On paper it is make or break but there are still five games to go before Walsall head to the County Ground on Saturday, March 5.

The game with Bournemouth aside, Tuesday's home clash with Dagenham kicks off the run-in and leaves the Saddlers with 15 games to save the season.

Four points from the two games would represent a fine return and set Walsall up for 'squeaky bum time'.

An average of two points a game is Smith's target and, while they have only won 10 out of a possible 24 under him, the signs are it will improve.

It has to. Against the current bottom half of the table they have won six, drawn five and lost five, picking up 23 points to sit 15th in that particular form table.

Against the top half they have fared even worse with just five points from 12 games — after the 1-0 win at Charlton, the 0-0 draw at Leyton Orient and the 1-1 draw with Oldham.

And if current form applies the Saddlers must have the results in the bag before the last five games of the season.

Brighton, Sheffield Wednesday, Oldham, Charlton and Southampton are not the teams you want to face when you need points.

In the last three seasons 50 points has been the minimum to survive, meaning the Saddlers need at least 23 from their final 17 games.

They would also have to buck a worrying trend with the last three teams who were bottom on New Year's Day — Stockport, Crewe and Port Vale — all relegated.

It means the Saddlers will have to win — or get the equivalent amount of points — at least eight games to survive.

Of course, you are suddenly asking a team to win more games than they have done all season — but it is achievable,

Bt Smith has instilled character into a side which was seriously lacking spirit — surrounding himself with the eternally positive Jon Whitney and the experienced Chris Nicholl.

Initially some were critical about perceived short-termism when Smith was appointed until the end of the season.

Now it could be the best call since Richard Money walked through the door.

Can they stay up? Yes. Whether Walsall will is another matter.

If only they had sacked Chris Hutchings sooner . . .