Saddlers banking on the local talent

For most other clubs the kids are alright – but for Walsall they are priceless.

It was not without irony that the Elite Player Performance Plan – where Premier League clubs can pinch Football League youngsters for a fraction of their market value – was passed at the Banks's Stadium.

That was just a quirk of fate thanks to geography, but the Football League felt a gun was held to their head with the top flight threatening to withdraw funding for youth development had they refused the EPPP.

It would have left a £5m void for the lower league clubs to fill and, in short, they had little alternative.

The Saddlers have always put their faith in kids – they have to – and their current youth team are unbeaten in the Midlands Youth Alliance, sitting fourth, three points off leaders Carlisle.

And three of the team's most recent alumni – George Bowerman, Jamie Paterson and Will Grigg – prove the conveyer belt to the senior side remains.

The trio have all signed new deals this term as boss Dean Smith, a former head of youth, bids to end the perceived – but sometimes unavoidable – short-termism at Walsall and safeguard their investments.

It is common sense at work as the Saddlers continue to harvest potential and Paterson insisted they are the future.

"I should hope so, we all think we should be playing in the team," said the amiable 20-year-old, who signed a two-and-a-half-year deal.

"If you don't think that there's no point being a footballer. If the competition is good it's healthy. There's no malice involved and we all want to score goals for the club.

"We've all done well to get our new deals but once you do, after a few months, you are out of the limelight. You have to get yourself going again because you are under more pressure. You don't want fans saying 'he's signed a new deal and not done much.'

"Some people might not like it but I like it when I can prove people wrong. If someone says 'I don't like him' it makes me want to play even more and prove them wrong."

Paterson has had the luxury, or burden, of being the Saddlers' bright young hope since he broke into the first team in September last year.

He watched as partner in crime Bowerman was farmed out to Redditch last season, as they dropped out of the Blue Square North, before being handed a six-month deal in the summer.

Bowerman has responded by bagging two goals in 10 substitute outings this term and impressed again in Monday's stunning 2-1 comeback win over Sheffield Wednesday.

He penned an 18-month deal, with the option of a further year, this month and the 20-year-old admitted his wake-up call at Redditch effectively saved his Walsall career.

He said: "I'd never been outside Walsall before and I thought everything was like this. I went to Redditch last season and that was tough but when I came back I scored for the reserves and the gaffer decided to give me a deal.

"Before then I'd never played in a competitive match – just the reserves and youth team – so it was different. The centre-halves were always kicking me and the ball was always in the air. It helped me and when I came back I realised this is what I want to do and this is where I want to be.

"I didn't get the best deal in the summer because it was only a few months but it made me knuckle down and work even harder.

"I knew in every training session and every game I had to prove myself. I didn't have that long left and I'm glad the gaffer saw I was working hard and offered me a new deal."

It's a sentiment echoed by Grigg – the senior member of the trio – who has taken the longest road of all.

He had to wait two years for a first-team start after his debut at 17 – as an injury-time substitute in a 0-0 draw at Cheltenham in 2008.

That came in last year's 1-0 FA Cup second round defeat at Torquay before he was handed the No. 9 shirt in the summer, a prelude to him signing until 2013 last month.

But since committing, the 20-year-old has been dropped by Smith following a loss of form and he admitted a new contract comes with extra responsibility.

"Everyone knows I've got this new deal and it's up to me to prove I'm worthy of it," said the Northern Ireland Under-21 international. "It doesn't take any pressure off because you can't think 'I've got a new contract, I'll lie back' – that would be pointless. I've got to keep working hard.

"It's one more contract and – for however long it is – you have to think about what you're going to do afterwards.

"You want that contract and you're happy about it but you've got to keep thinking towards the future."