Andy Butler urges pals to sign

Andy Butler today urged his team-mates to stay at Walsall and help transform the Saddlers.

The skipper wants the Saddlers' out-of-contract stars to pledge their future to the club and continue to buy into boss Dean Smith's philosophy.

Emmanuel Ledesma, Mat Sadler and Manny Smith are just three considering new deals and double Player of the Year Butler is desperate to keep them.

"It's one of the best team spirits I've worked with in my career so I'd love everyone to stay," he said, with Alex Nicholls, Richard Taundry and David Grof also offered fresh terms. "With a few more additions we could be a good side. You look at the fine lines, a few less draws and a few more wins and you're around the top six.

"I'd like everyone to stay and then hopefully we can push on after a couple of years of relegation battles.

"It will be better next year. We seemed to play well against the bigger clubs – we upped our game. Hopefully this experience will teach players you've got to give everything, all you can, every day. You've got to do your best every single second in training."

And the 28-year-old insisted the Saddlers' much vaunted spirit was carved during last summer's pre-season tour of Scotland.

He added: "When we climbed the mountain during the week it was there. I'm not saying everyone grumbled but we stuck together. We had limited facilities bedroom-wise and we brought our own PlayStation and TV up and it brought everyone together in a big common room. It's sometimes hard to mingle with new players when you don't know how they are. We want the same spirit again next season."

Meanwhile, the Walsall All Stars host Wolves All Stars at the Banks's Stadium tonight (7.30pm) for three cancer charities, CLIC Sargent, Fat Boys and the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Boss Dean Smith, Michael Ricketts and Zigor Aranalde are all due to play and tickets on the gate are £3 for adults and £2 for concessions.