Josh Ginnelly happy to man up at Walsall

The talented 19-year-old joined the Saddlers on loan from Burnley in the summer but struggled for game time throughout August and September.

But the past two months have been much more fruitful for the teenager, with Ginnelly featuring in each of Walsall's last 12 games.

He admits it took him time to adjust to the demands of League One football, having spent the majority of last season playing for Burnley's under-21s.

"When I first came to the club, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the best player on the pitch but I've realised now that it's about the team," he said.

"If I can get on the ball and do my bit then I will, but my main objective now is to make sure my shape is right and I'm not letting the team down."

He added: "I'm now in a whole different world from under-21s football.

"A lot of players go to a club, including me, and don't have a clue what's going to happen.

"I ended up being dropped and coming from under-21s, you don't really get dropped or get left out of the squad, so you've got to deal with it.

"It's a different world – a man's world – and you can't take the easy route out."

Ginnelly said boss Jon Whitney has played a crucial role in helping him deal with disappointment in the right way. "Jon has been great with me,"he said.

"He's talked to me a lot about how I react because I used to beat myself up when I made a mistake.

"A lot of young players react badly to things when it's not going their way but I've come out of that bad stage and I'm really enjoying my football now.

"I've been really pleased with my progression and I feel I'm learning every day and with every game.

"I've got a lot of people looking out for me and giving me feedback on where I can improve."