Lee Beevers wants Walsall on map

After years of being ignored, Lee Beevers wants to put Walsall back on the map.

The defender, who inked a one-year deal today after his release from Colchester, has labelled the Saddlers the "forgotten club of the Midlands."

But, after spending the last four days training with the club in Scotland, the former Wales under-21 international is ready for a pulbic relations drive.

Beevers, who started his career at Ipswich, made his bow as a second-half substitute in last night's 2-0 win at Greenock Morton – courtesy of goals from fellow new-boys Adam Chambers and Claude Gnakpa.

The Saddlers will start the new campaign in League One after last season's Great Escape, but still in the ominous shadow of the Premier League.

Villa, Albion and Wolves will again be in the top flight, while Championship new-boys Birmingham are favourites for a swift return.

But the siege mentality at Walsall last season revived a club which was in danger of being buried, by not only the ill-feeling from within but by the success of others.

And, in his first interview after signing, Beevers wants to ensure the Saddlers make some noise.

He said: "Colchester are a team you don't hear too much about like Walsall – the forgotten club of the Midlands. They are at a similar sort of level.

"It's a struggle for us to get the fanbase now with all the big clubs around us who have gone on, proven it and got promoted a few times.

"It's a similar situation to Colchester. Walsall are one of the teams that, because they have been in the league for a while, are almost part of the furniture.

"We need to get rid of that label and start pushing towards the top. There's no reason why we can't get promoted.

"It's a strong league next year but we've been doing well in pre-season so if we can just keep it going and all stick together there's a lot we can achieve.

"In the last couple of years, Colchester were in and around the top and it was down to nothing but hard work. It proves you can do it and quite a lot of it is about organisation and getting things right on the pitch.

"If we can do that I can't see why we can't get there."