Suspended Nicky Devlin out to claim Walsall place

The 23-year-old, who won promotion with former club Ayr United back 2015, picked his sixth yellow card of last season when the The Honest Men were relegated on the final day.

Despite that booking taking place in Scotland, Devlin now has to miss out on Saturday as the Saddlers kick-off their League One campaign against the Shakers.

"It's very frustrating," the right-back said.

"In Scotland if you get six yellow cards you get a suspension and I got my sixth on the last day of the season.

"It was one them. It was a game we needed to win to stay up and I was actually booked for dissent after we'd conceded a goal.

"At the time, it just goes over your head. You don’t think about it, I was just disappointed about being relegated.

"Then about two weeks ago it started to sink in that I could miss out. I was hoping the suspension wouldn't carry over from Scotland to England. It's not as if I punched somebody or did a terrible tackle.

"The good thing down here though, compared to being up north, is that there are games, games, games.

"After Saturday we have a game on the Wednesday so there are matches all the time which is good. Hopefully I will be able to quickly get back in the team."

With Devlin suspended, Liam Kinsella looks set to be Walsall's right-back at Gigg Lane.

And the Scotsman knows he now faces a fight to dislodge the 21-year-old.

"Both Liam and I have rotated in pre-season and whenever I have seen him play he has done really well," Devlin continued.

"He is pushing me for that jersey. And it's great for the gaffer to have that competition.

"Hopefully he knows he has two boys there who are good enough to go and play.

"Injuries and suspensions are going to happen. As a defence it's not possible to rely on four guys. We need six or seven to step up to the plate."