Florent Cuvelier is gunning to hit heights

Florent Cuvelier may be small but vows to pack a punch – one he hopes will KO Walsall's drop rivals.

The pint-sized midfielder is ready to haul the Saddlers off the ropes ahead of a debut against Notts County at the Banks's Stadium tonight.

He signed on a month's loan from Stoke on Friday as Dean Smith looks to add to his side's fighting spirit with the Saddlers only out of League One's drop zone on goal difference.

Cuvelier's small stature flies in the face of the Premier League Potters' reputation as a strapping, bullying team.

Perhaps that national perception is unjust given their recent achievements, but it's one the Belgium Under-19 star doesn't fit in to.

And, at the Banks's Stadium tonight, he will get a chance to prove he can be a heavyweight in Walsall's fight against relegation.

"I'm not a six foot guy who gives big tackles during the game but I get on the ball and pass it. I'm not very tall – but I'm still very strong in the challenge," said the 5ft 7in teenager.

"When you train with players like Peter Crouch and Matthew Etherington you learn things, even small things. Physically you have to be strong and work hard on the training ground and in the gym, otherwise you'll be on the floor very quickly.

"I spent my first year at Stoke with the academy and then last January I joined the first team. It's very good to be training with Premier League players because it makes you a better player.

"But it's a very big squad which is why it's good for me to come here and get experience."

The 19-year-old moved to England when Portsmouth spotted him playing for Belgium Under-16s before he switched Pompey for the Potters in 2010 after the Fratton Park outfit's cash crisis.

And Cuvelier admitted it was a leap of faith leaving his family in Belgium to pursue his dream.

"I was 15-years-old, nearly 16, when I came over. I played with the Belgium national team when I was 15 and there were some scouts from Portsmouth," he said.

"They spoke with me and it was a dream, I didn't really think about it. I just jumped on the plane and I was in England.

"My family stayed at home and it was quite tough because I couldn't speak any English. I had lessons and when you're in the country you learn a lot faster.

"There were some good things and some hard things early on, but in life you need to make sacrifices to achieve your dreams."

Cuvelier is yet to play a senior game in England and sees his Saddlers switch as ideal in his quest to make it at the Britannia Stadium.

"I'm very happy because I received a nice welcome here and it's an amazing experience for me," he added.

"I'm really looking forward to starting work and playing the games.

"There are lots of very good things which are going to happen to me and I want to take the next few weeks very seriously.

"I thought straight away it was something good for me. I wanted to play games and get experience, I was very happy to come here.

"I need to prove to the manager here I'm good enough to get onto the pitch and when I'm on the pitch I need to prove to Stoke I'm ready to play football in a higher league."

The Saddlers have a fully-fit squad but County could be without striker Lee Hughes after the former Albion star was yesterday charged with sexual assault.

The 35-year-old, who has nine goals this term, was arrested after an alleged incident before the Magpies' FA Cup game at Sutton United in December.

It means former Walsall starlet Ishmel Demontagnac, who was sacked by the Saddlers in 2008 for breaches of club discipline, could start.

Stephen Hunt (ankle) and Rob Burch (knee) remain sidelined for Martin Allen's side.

Meanwhile, the game has been labelled 'Wacka Day' as the club prepare to honour Jimmy Walker in the first home game since the goalkeeper broke the Saddlers' appearance record.

There will be Walker masks on sale for £1 outside the ground to mark the 38-year-old's achievement, after he made his 530th outing in the 0-0 draw at Brentford this month.

The Supporters' Trust will present Walker with a special framed shirt in the Bonser Suite after the game and have invited Colin Harrison (529 appearances), Kenny Mower (494), and Nick Atthey (502), as well as a family member of the late Colin Taylor (502) as guests.