Training is the key for Saddlers skipper

The skipper kept the opposition locked out as he led his team through two successful relegation battles.

He has bolted the Saddlers together and will continue to protect the valuable points ahead of tomorrow's visit of Carlisle.

But the skipper has added to his talents by taking a locksmith course after already learning plumbing and studying to become a referee. And his combination with Dean Holden at the back has aided the Saddlers' fine start after Butler studied at A'Jam Locksmiths in Willenhall.

He has been seen practising his new trade at the club's Essington training base and is ready to put his new skill to use.

"I'm as qualified as a locksmith as you can be now," said the 28-year-old. "It was just something which interested me. I thought I'd best do as many things as I can while I'm young-ish.

"One of my brother's friends is a locksmith and it's a skill you may need and not many people can do it.

"I haven't lost any keys yet – I can always lose them around the house but not yet."

Difficult

The defender is now well skilled in the art, but insisted he will keep the tricks of the trade to himself and he won't be seen trying to open doors with his credit card.

"It was difficult but it's about the knowledge, knowledge of how to bypass locks and how to pick them," he said. "The teacher Shane (Williams) was good and he came to the Leyton Orient game on Tuesday.

"You can use something similar to a credit card but I'm not going to give any tricks away. If you want to know more you'll have to take the course – it's a good one though.

"I've still got to do a couple more exams for my plumbing. I can do a level 3 plumbing which is gas as well but I need to see if I'll have time."

And Shane, of A'Jam Locksmiths, was impressed with Butler's skills after helping him on the five-day course.

"We had to work it around his training and Andy would come in between 3pm and 7.30pm," said Williams, whose son Regan is in Walsall's talented and gifted scheme.

"He's been back since and borrowed locks. He was really good – he's a clever lad and picked it up really quickly. I showed him how to pick household locks and car locks and he picked his own car lock one day.

"My lad was in awe of him. He spoke to him and told him how he got into football and where he's played. He was very impressed and wouldn't stop talking about him."

Butler will lead the Saddlers against Carlisle after Tuesday's 2-1 reverse against the Os and the team could welcome back Adam Chambers after he resumed training following a hamstring injury.

James Chambers is closing in on fitness but is unavailable with a thigh problem while Carlisle are without Jon-Paul McGovern who has suffered a reaction from a hernia operation. Lee Miller is out with an ankle injury while Rory Loy is still recovering from a broken leg.

United are 13th in League One after Tuesday's game with Bury was called off due to a waterlogged pitch and boss Greg Abbott has been impressed with the Saddlers' start.

He said: "Walsall have started brilliantly.

"It is a bit like what Tranmere are doing – a club with ordinary resources, proving it can be done.

"The problem is always sustaining it over four or five years. Can Tranmere do that? Can Walsall? Who knows, but fair play to them – they've got off to an absolute flier, and being at the right end of the division is always a much better place to be."