Ben Boycott confident Walsall can continue strike gold
Ben Boycott is optimistic that Walsall can use their recent track record with loan players to their advantage in the summer transfer window.
Freddie Draper scored 10 goals in 21 matches prior to his January recall by Lincoln City, while Albion striker Mo Faal found the net six times following his winter arrival.
Meanwhile, Stoke City defender David Okagbue virtually became an ever-present during the final two thirds of the campaign, as Emmanuel Adegboyega impressed on loan from Norwich City.
And Boycott is hopeful Walsall’s proven record of developing players will help them on the loan market again.
“It’s a culmination of meeting with those clubs, explaining how players are going to fit in and how it’s going to be the right opportunity to develop them,” co-chairman Boycott noted. “I believe those parent clubs will start to see, as Lincoln did, that Trivela clubs can be a place where their players are going to get minutes and grow.
“In turn, that’s going to help us win more games. You do have to be smart about how you use that. We’ve had times in the past where we were overdependent on loans and losing those loans hurt us.
“But at the same time, it can be really helpful just from a cost of benefit standpoint. It can be beneficial if you use the loan market wisely.
“I’d like to believe that’s the case with Lincoln, Stoke and Albion.”
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