Isaiah Osbourne to miss Walsall's next two games

The Saddlers travel to take on Bristol Rovers in League One tomorrow before hosting Middlesbrough in the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday.

But they will be without midfielder Osbourne after he was knocked out in a bizarre incident against Shrewsbury.

After the referee called for a drop ball, Town midfielder Anthony Grant fired it into the face of the former Villa man.

It led to Osbourne needing oxygen treatment before he was stretched off. But while he was fine after the game, protocol with head injuries means he needs a rest.

Senior physiotherapist Marc Czuczman said: “He (Osbourne) was knocked clean out for about 45 seconds to a minute.

“We have to deal with it as a concussive injury, which is the reason why we got the oxygen out and stretchered him off.

“After the game he was absolutely fine and having a laugh with everyone.

“He didn’t recall the event at all. He wasn’t anticipating it and we could tell straightaway he’d been knocked out by the way he fell as he didn’t control himself hitting the ground.

“As a consequence, we had to go through the FA guidelines for concussion management.

“The quickest you can turn it round is seven days, but that’s reliant on the player having no symptoms after the event or the next day.

“However, the next day he had a headache. Because of that he is ruled out of the weekend and the Middlesbrough game.

“He needs to rest but he should be back in full training by the Monday ahead of the Luton game.”

Meanwhile, chief executive Stefan Gamble has confirmed Walsall have begun negotiations with some players whose deals expire in the summer.

Jon Guthrie, Josh Ginnelly, Zeli Ismail, Luke Leahy and Nicky Devlin are just some squad members whose contracts come to an end in May.

Speaking at a Supporters Working Party Meeting, Gamble also confirmed Dean Keates has money available should he choose to strengthen his squad in January.