The 32-year-old came on as a substitute in the 2-0 defeat at AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night.

Labadie has been another on the long-term injury list for Walsall after suffering a cruciate ligament injury during a win against Port Vale in April last year.

He said: “Obviously it was good for me to come back, every footballer just wants to play, but I just wish the circumstances could have been better.

“It wasn’t a great performance overall – we were told that afterwards and rightly so.

“But from a personal point of view, it has been a long road to recovery, and a lot of hard work from the medical team who I would like to thank.

“I just hope I can bring something to the team in the remaining games of the season, which ever games I play in.”