Walsall captain's praise for manager

Jubilant Walsall captain Andy Butler has hailed miracle manager Dean Smith – and insisted he deserves the key to the town.

The Saddlers boss led the Saddlers to League One safety in a thrilling Great Escape which they completed in a final day showdown on Saturday.

Dagenham & Redbridge's 5-0 defeat at Peterborough rendered Walsall's 3-1 loss at Southampton irrelevant and meant the fifth-bottom Saddlers survived by a single point.

It capped a turnaround which had seen the team eight points from safety and rock bottom of the table at the start of the year.

And newly crowned double Player of the Year Butler insisted Smith, who succeeded Chris Hutchings in January, deserves the plaudits for rescuing the season.

He said: "The gaffer has brilliantly and he deserves the key to Walsall, give him the key – the Ginger Mourinho!

"He's just so clinical in everything he does, he knows what his plans are, what he wants, what players he wants and he's delivered.

"Who would have thought we'd be in it on the last day of the season, coming to a stadium like Southampton's and finish fifth-bottom? From where we were to where we are now I can't praise the lads enough.

"It all stems from the management, Jon Whitney, the gaffer and Chris Nicholl. The lads have warmed to Chris no end and really appreciate what he done for us.

"He takes the centre halves every week and helps us. The whole team spirit has been brilliant.

"Hats off to the gaffer, Whits, Chris and Jason Chidwick - the physio - they have all been brilliant."

A win for Dagenham would have sent the Saddlers down but Posh, who now play Milton Keynes Dons in the play-offs, did the Saddlers a massive favour.

And Butler couldn't hide his delight after the final whistle at St Mary's, admitting he knew Walsall were safe during the game.

He said: "I knew at 4-0 to Peterborough and you switch off a little bit which you shouldn't do but you've got to enjoy it.

"Well done Peterborough, I can't say enough for Peterborough.

"We knew it was 1-0 at half time but I always thought it could be a nasty one there."

Butler was inspirational in the Saddlers' Houdini act and claimed both supporters' and players' Player of the Year last night.

The defender got a whopping 57.8 per cent of the fans' vote – despite only joining the Saddlers on a free transfer in November.

The 27-year-old beat Jimmy Walker and Matt Richards into second and third respectively while Jon Macken finish fourth in the fans' poll.

Will Grigg won Young Player of the Year while Darren Byfield scooped goal of the season for his 30-yard screamer at Rochdale in September.

Connor Deards, who was handed a professional deal last month, was named Apprentice of the Year and Jimmy Walker was given a special framed shirt, signed by the squad, to commemorate passing 500 games for the club.

Ken Hodgkisson, a key figure in the fourth division Championship triumph in 1959-60, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement award.