'Constantly evolving' - Lee Grant outlines Walsall plans for Will Etheridge

Lee Grant says Walsall will manage teenager Will Etheridge’s development on a “week-by-week” basis - and will take a similar approach with the rest of the academy players.

Etheridge has made successive starts in the EFL Trophy and completed his first 90 minutes during the Saddlers’ 3-2 victory over Fulham under-21s on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old became the first Walsall academy player to make his league debut since Ronan Maher in 2022 when he was introduced late on in a 3-1 defeat at Bromley on the final day of last season.

‘Constantly evolving’ - Grant on Etheridge plans

He marked his second league cameo with an assist for Reece Smith’s 90th-minute equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Tranmere Rovers last month.

“Will is with us. We've got to keep managing his development,” head coach Grant revealed.

“Minutes with us, minutes out on loan and available for the squad when needed.

“If that's not going to be the case then let's get him back out on loan again and get him the minutes.

“We're just managing that week-by-week really with Will. And for all of our young players, it has to be flexible and you have to be that agile because it's constantly evolving.

“That's nice that we can send our young players out and bring them back for the EFL Trophy as well. That serves us really well.”

Etheridge had his scholarship extended until the end of the current campaign back in the summer and has gained loan experience with Stourbridge this term.

Walsall handed Ryan Sjoerdsma his first senior start in midweek, while fellow first year scholar Jaden Kandemiri made his first team bow from the bench.

Further academy prospects such as Ellis Harris, Stan Straw and Archie Bunn have also featured in the EFL Trophy this season.