Jon Whitney: Fans will love our new Walsall team

The Saddlers manager is currently in the middle of a summer overhaul with eight first-team regulars opting to move on following last season's promotion push.

In their place has arrived Erhun Oztumer, Florent Cuvelier, Joe Edwards, George Dobson and Jason McCarthy – with at least two more players expected to sign this week.

And Whitney believes his new crop of stars will prove hugely popular with supporters.

"All the players I have brought in have been fans' favourites," he said. "Some of them have been named supporters' player of the year and you wouldn't get that if you didn't put a shift in. It was important to me we got in players fans could relate with. I think a few of the lads last year – fans couldn't relate to them.

"I don't want that. I want fans to know my players and I want them to know me. Character-wise, there is no issue with these players. These players are winners and I think the fans are really going to take to them."

With so many players having moved on, Whitney believes it is vital he gets the vast majority of his business done early.

"It's fundamental to me that we get the group doing the full pre-season, he continued. "I think it's great that we have a nucleus of a squad already.

"It was really important with the mass exodus we had that I made sure I brought in my players quickly because there is a direct correlation that if you come in late – you play less games.

"Players that miss pre-season tend to pick up more injuries and their form can be off and on throughout the season.

"If you get a six-week, aggressive pre-season into you, it gives you much more of a chance.

"The lads I've brought in, I gave them my program three or four weeks ago. They all know what they have to do to be ready."