It's D-Day for Walsall on the Will Grigg saga

Saddlers boss Dean Smith rates the chances of the 21-year-old staying at the Banks's at "50-50."

Brentford are seeking to tempt the Northern Ireland forward from their League One rivals.

Smith said: "If you had asked me 10 days ago I would have said there was a 90 per cent chance he would stay but, today, it's looking 50-50.

"He's spoken to other teams, as I would expect him to with his contract being up and him having representatives working for him.

"But I hope Will sees his immediate future at this club. We want to keep developing him and help him become the player we think he can be."

Smith has continued to stay in touch with Grigg, whose 20 goals last term proved such a key feature in the team's recovery.

Losing just twice in 15 matches over the final phase of the campaign, Grigg scored 16 of those goals in 21 games before being hit by a hamstring injury.

The Saddlers are ever more desperate to persuade the player to re-sign having already lost Febian Brandy, who has joined Sheffield United, this week.

But Smith has already confirmed that he has plans in place to bring in replacements if Grigg does follow Brandy out of the door at the Banks's.

The potential loss of two key figures has not disturbed the optimism at the club following last season's advances, as captain Andy Butler confirms.

The core of that squad had already agreed to extend their stay, including Butler.

He said: "It's nice to have familiar faces coming into the changing rooms rather than the six players we had at one stage last year.

"The club is going in the right direction, the way we finished last season more fans have bought season tickets and it's more money we can spend on wages.

"It's the first time I have ever booked my holiday for the middle of May and had a scary time thinking I might miss my holiday if we got in the play-offs.

"Playing-wise, I think we are one of the best football teams in the league."

and that is thank to the gaffer and Richard O'Kelly who want to play football."