Hindsight is fine but now is the time for Butler

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but Walsall captain Andy Butler refuses to regret.

The defender will make his return to Scunthorpe with the Saddlers tomorrow, almost four years after quitting Glanford Park.

But Butler admits he shouldn't have left the Iron when he joined Huddersfield in 2008 for family reasons.

His spell at the Galpharm was wracked with self-doubt as he was eventually bombed out by boss Lee Clark and left on the scrapheap – before being rescued by the Saddlers in November 2010.

It is a debt he still feels he owes Walsall, because he knows one wrong career move took him down the right path.

He said: "You look back and there were a lot of things you think about but it was for my family and I did what I had to do.

"At least it worked out better for me, I'm enjoying my football here. If I hadn't left there then I might not be here and enjoying my football – I don't know where I would be.

"It's swings and roundabout and hopefully we can go there and get three points. They are in a similar position to us. They are like us and are not winning games. I'm a bit surprised they are down there, they came to our place and played some good football.

"There are a few old faces I'll see tomorrow and I've always said I enjoyed my time there."

Both teams are locked on 25 points, with the Saddlers only above the 21st-placed Iron on goal difference.

They have also both drawn 13 games – the highest in the league along with Huddersfield – but Butler insisted he relishes another fight for survival.

The 28-year-old said: "I enjoy every challenge, you have got to rise above everyone and we're not going to be down there at the end of the season.

"There's a team full of leaders here and there's a lot of experience. There's no extra pressure on me – I'm here to carry the armband.

"They have all got a lot of experience and have all played a lot of games."

But the Saddlers are creaking after Tuesday's 1-0 defeat to Notts County kept them mired in danger.

It was their 11th league loss of the season – up against a tally of just four wins and just two since the end of August.

Walsall also host fellow strugglers Wycombe later this month and Butler insisted they will not panic.

He said: "It would be panic stations if we were playing badly and conceding a lot of goals. We're not playing well but we're not conceding a lot of goals and we're not being turned over.

"We haven't been turned over by any team in the league, we are resilient.

"We need to prove it now. In training, we look like we're getting somewhere.

"The next month is a chance to get a good few points on the board and then people start relaxing a bit more. I've got full confidence in this team.

"There's been a bit of bad luck, some sendings off, a few deflections and last minute goals. Take those out and you never know where we could be – we'd be in the top half of the league.

"I'm confident we'll finish in mid-table. We don't really look at the tables and say 'oh, we're down there.'

"We still believe we're a good team."

The Saddlers are without Jon Macken and Jimmy Walker, both with hamstring strains, although Stoke loanee Florent Cuvelier could start after a bright debut on Tuesday.

Scunthorpe could hand debuts to deadline day signings Jon Parkin and Robbie Gibbons while David Mirfin rejoined from Watford on Tuesday. Wolves loanee James Reckord is also likely to start.

Iron boss Alan Knill, under pressure after their wretched season, watched the County defeat at the Banks's Stadium but played down tomorrow's game.

He said: "Everyone will say the game is a six-pointer and it's this and that.

"It's an important game, yes, but no different to all the others we have played.

"Walsall are in pretty much the same position as us in that they haven't lost so many games, but they have drawn too many.

"I suppose, if you're a gambler, you would put your money on another.

"I'm sure Dean is just as frustrated as we are. He'll be thinking 'we are not too far away', but our points totals don't say the same.

"It's a fact we need to start winning games – and so do they."