Walsall FC earn TV cash boost

Walsall FC were today set to land a TV cash boost after their clash with Shrewsbury was cherry-picked by Sky.

The Saddlers' League One trip to Greenhous Meadow has been put back by 24 hours to Sunday, October 14 (3.30pm) for live coverage on Sky Sports 1. The match is worth £30,000 to Shrewsbury and £10,000 to the Saddlers.

It has been four-and-a-half years since Walsall were last on TV – when two Jermaine Beckford goals saw them crash 2-0 at Leeds in March 2008.

The money will aid boss Dean Smith, who has just 11 professionals ahead of the start of pre-season training on Thursday.

The manager is working with a tight budget and any extra money could be handed to him to rebuild the squad after eight players – including Mat Sadler, Lee Beevers and Manny Smith – rejected new deals.

Only David Grof, Adam Chambers and Jake Jones have extended their contracts at the Banks's Stadium this summer.

And Mick Kearns has backed Grof's bid to become Walsall's No.1 – but insisted the keeper still needs to improve.

The Saddlers goalkeeping coach believes the Hungarian can succeed club legend Jimmy Walker at the Banks' Stadium.

Grof signed a new one-year deal last month and with Walker's future still unresolved, is the Saddlers' only senior goalkeeper.

Walsall return for pre-season training on Thursday and Kearns insisted Grof must raise his game again.

He said: "There is potential there for him to become the No.1 at Walsall. He made considerable improvement last year because he worked hard for his position and to get the games in.

"But there's lots of room for improvement. He needs to keep working as hard as he did last year and if he does that he will achieve his goal of being No.1."

Walker's deal expired at the end of last month after he made a record 534 appearances for the Saddlers. He was in talks with the club over a player/coach role but there has been no confirmation about a deal.