Chasing milestones and balance - inside Albert Adomah's Walsall extension

The decision makes sense for all parties involved.

Adomah - who turns 39 in December - is loved by the supporters and clearly still has an insatiable appetite for more success in the twilight years of his career.

Despite the anticlimactic nature of the previous two campaigns, Adomah has consistently been a shining light, even in the darkest of times.

Adomah has more left in the tank

That was perfectly illustrated by his mesmerising display during a 3-0 victory at Crewe Alexandra in Darren Byfield’s first game as interim head coach in March.

The mood could not have been worse heading into the game following the sacking of Mat Sadler earlier in the week, but Adomah rolled back the years with a vintage display from the right wing.

Coupled with scoring his first brace in nine years, Adomah then sprinted down the left wing to deliver an exquisite cross for substitute Aaron Pressley to score.

It was the type of classy performance that Lee Grant will be hoping he can coax from the veteran, who finished with eight goals in all competitions, again next season.

Why balance is key for Adomah

The challenge, or the balance, that Grant will have to strike is how to cleverly manage his minutes.

You cannot take the competitor out of Adomah, and he will of course want to play every game, but he is also wise enough to understand that that simply cannot be the case.

But a number of performances last season showed that he can still be a force to be reckoned with on his day.

And for that exact reason, Walsall have made a smart decision to keep him on board as they enter a new era under Grant.

There will be significant change within the squad over the summer. 12 players have been released and a further six loan players have gone back to their parent clubs.

Many new faces are expected to arrive and Adomah’s infectious character and enthusiasm could be key to helping a fresh squad bed in.

Chasing down more milestones

Adomah is a team man first and foremost, but he will also be eager to chase down more milestones.

He scored his 100th club career goal in a 3-1 win at Shrewsbury Town last year and set an EFL record by becoming the first player to play 100 games for six different clubs in April.

Now, Adomah can close in on his 800th club appearance, which he is currently just five shy of on 795.