Jon Whitney: Show your pride in Walsall kids

The Saddlers welcome Darren Ferguson’s men to the Banks’s Stadium having played out a 2-2 draw at Blackpool on Saturday. Like Walsall, Donny arrive in the West Midlands looking over their shoulder – with both teams still fearful they could be dragged into League One’s bottom four.

And Whitney has asked Saddlers supporters to get behind his young squad as they prepare for another big game.

“The application of our young team is first class,” the boss said. “We’ve got Robbo (Liam Roberts) in goal. Young Jack (Fitzwater) is at centre-back. Kory (Roberts) came on late at Blackpool.

“Liam Kinsella is one of our own. Amadou Bakayoko, Reece Flanagan, Kieron Morris, they are all players we have brought through.

“We should be proud of these young players putting in a real shift. But at times I don’t think we are. But that is why I came into this position, I am proud of this club and I am proud of those players.

“They grafted at Blackpool. Let’s get behind them and let’s see where that takes them. That is all I ask. I want to thank all the fans who travelled to Blackpool. We had more than 600 and that is great support.

“But get behind these young players. I was disappointed we didn’t win on Saturday and so were the players but we have got to get behind them on Tuesday night.”

Whitney admits he and his players are looking forward to tomorrow’s game.

“The games are coming thick and fast but that is how we want it,” he said. “We are here to play football. Training is great but we enjoy the games.”