Butler backs Dean Smith's transfer hunt

Walsall skipper Andy Butler today backed boss Dean Smith to bag the right recruits to lead the Saddlers to glory.

The Banks's Stadium chief is after another two men and Butler is convinced he will land the players to improve the squad.

Walsall go to Hartlepool in League One on Saturday aiming to hit back from Tuesday's 3-0 Carling Cup defeat to Middlesbrough.

And Butler insisted Smith will only sign the players who fit in with the squad's dynamic.

He said: "He'll bring the right players in. He's signed them so far so I've got no worries that, if he wants another one, he'll get it right. That's what he's about.

"All competition clearly brings out the best in everyone. I don't think there's one player who doesn't want someone pushing them to make them better, everyone does. You have to make yourself better every training session. More competition is healthier for everyone.

"The squad is good alright, the lads we've got here are brilliant and the team spirit is massive at the moment. If any players come in they are going to come in and improve it.

"You don't know what's going to happen, people could come in and others could go out but as long as we don't get a bad team sprit the more the merrier."

New faces are unlikely before the trip to Hartlepool but Butler insisted the current group can hit back following their League Cup exit.

He said: "It's nice to get a game so quickly so we can bounce back. No-one is too down from the game, it's gone now and we'll just draw a line under it.

"It was a free game, a lot was about fitness, and we'll take the positives from the Orient into this Saturday's game.

"We can't be too downhearted, the cup was a bonus game – the league is our bread and butter and we need to get results in that.

"It was disappointing to concede three, the second goal was a good goal, but it's just one of those days where you have to forget about it."

Meanwhile, Walsall reserves went down 3-0 in their League Cup final at Sunderland last night. Former loanee Jordan Cook added a third after Oumare Tounkara's brace.