Captain's next challenge at Walsall

Walsall manager Dean Smith has challenged captain Andy Butler to lead the Saddlers into a new era.

The double Player of the Year recently penned a two-year deal after the club made it a priority to sign him up.

Butler only joined the club last November but swept the awards board and was a key part in the Saddlers' Great Escape.

Now Smith wants the centre-back to continue being his talisman after they beat the League One drop by a point.

He said: "What he's got to do is live up to the expectation. He was fantastic last season and knew what was expected of him week in, week out but I think Andy demands that of himself anyway.

"I'm sure we can expect no less next season. He's a great character to have around and has a lot of respect in the dressing room and the football club."

Butler was the first of the out-of-contract players to commit his future to the Saddlers after the club exercised options on the deals of Will Grigg and Jon Macken.

And Smith insisted the 27-year-old is crucial to his plans as he plots to build a team capable of improving on last season's 20th place.

He said: "The spine of the team is massively important. With Macken extending, Andy Butler and Oliver Lancashire signed up and hopefully Jimmy Walker not being too far behind, we're building that spine up."

Meanwhile, out-of-contract Walsall winger Julian Gray has had a trial in the United States with Major League Soccer outfit Seattle Sounders.

The 31-year-old, the Saddlers' 10-goal top scorer last season, travelled to the Qwest Field last week and has since left but it's unclear whether he has earned a contract.

Gray has been offered a fresh terms by the Saddlers but is yet to accept.

Sounders are fifth in the MLS Western Conference, nine points behind leaders LA Galaxy.