Grigg tipped for bright Walsall future

The 17-year-old came on in the dying seconds of the Sadders' 0-0 draw at Cheltenham Town after impressive performances in the reserves and youth team.

Grigg is the latest youngster to come off the conveyer belt at the Banks's and Mullen believes he can make it.

Mullen said: "He has got a good chance. He is a good player, he has come through Mick (Halsall) and Bill (Jones) and they keep chruching them out. When we get to the situation where we need to play them, we will play them.

"He is a good player and has done ever so well. He was a first year last year and a second year this year. He is is just a boy but his progress in the reseves since the start of the season has been very, very good.

"When we looked at numbers and we looked at the squad, we saw what we had available, from a striker point of view. He was the one which, if we wanted a striker on the bench, was the one to be that man. He was there on merit."

Mullen has no qualms about throwing more youngsters into the first team limelight if the situation arises.

He said: "If they are good enough we have got to put them in. Will has been pushed in there and he has done okay, he is another one in the pipeline.

"That is what we are all about and that is what the club is about and we will continue to do that."

Midfielder Richard Davies has featured on the bench for the Saddlers this season but Grigg is the first of the new crop of youngsters to make his first team debut.

Six of Walsall's matchday squad on Saturday had come through the ranks at the Banks's and Mullen praised the efforts of head of youth Mick Halsall and assistant Bill Jones.

He said: "You look at the team and we had Bradley, Nicholls, Deeney, Taundry and now Grigg and Manny Smith on the bench.

"It is a fantastic achievement from Mick and Bill over the years."