Dean Smith's warning to Saddlers

Boss Dean Smith today insisted careers are on the line after he revealed Walsall held a heart-to-heart to end their winless woe.

The Saddlers chief underlined the magnitude of tomorrow's visit of Wycombe and warned his men they are risking their careers if they go down.

They host their relegation rivals after being hauled in on Wednesday following Tuesday's 2-1 defeat at Oldham which left them third bottom of League One.

The squad aired their views with Smith and the boss has now reminded them about their career danger.

"It's a big game for some of their careers in terms of where they're going to go. They have a responsibly to look after their careers," he said, with Walsall a point and a place behind Wycombe.

"If they were to be relegated then their career prospects suddenly look lower than they are now.

"What we've said to the players is they've got to start taking responsibility and asking more of each other. They've got to start going for it in games now.

"We got them in to go through it and tell them we need more from them and they need to ask more of each other. If they do that they'll be fine."

And Smith insisted he has little option than to host a post-mortem after the Boundary Park defeat.

"We don't normally but a change was needed," with the players in on their day off. "We've only played two games in the last three or four weeks and haven't been on the right end of the results. It was time to have a chat with them.

"I was telling them what I thought and asked for feedback. They're all on-side and know where we are in the league is a reflection on them because they are the ones playing.

"I don't think they are as talkative as 20 years ago, players then were more outspoken, but they were certainly receptive, they listened and put their opinion in."

The boss is still sweating on goalkeeper Jimmy Walker and Jon Macken with the pair's involvement dependant on how they react in their return to training today.

He added: "It depends who they react to it. Until they get onto the grass we don't know and that's been the hard part, we haven't been able to get onto the grass.

"Darryl Westlake has tweaked an ankle ligament so he won't be available."