'Need to look after them' - Mat Sadler to keep Walsall big guns fresh for League Two run-in

The 36-year-old, who arrived following his release by Mansfield Town last summer, also started in all three rounds of the FA Cup this term.

In total, Flint has scored twice in 29 appearances for Walsall in all competitions, but Sadler has warned that the veteran will need to protected whenever possible.

Sadler hails evergreen Flint

"He was adamant to me when we spoke [back in the summer] that he wanted to play in every one of these games and told me not to worry about him in that respect," Sadler recalled. 

""Will that be an area we look to? Potentially. It sounds great when they play every game, but we have to look after them, because we want our best player playing the majority of the minutes."

Walsall returned to winning ways with a 3-1 triumph against Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park last weekend in what was Sadler's 150th game in charge.

But Sadler has had to rotate his squad over the winter months and his decision to substitute top scorer Daniel Kanu in certain games has sometimes irked supporters.

Kanu has netted 14 times - including 11 in League Two - so far this season after joining on loan from Charlton Athletic in the summer. 

But Sadler insists he will continue to manage the minutes of his best players, as he braces for a crunch period in the Saddlers' quest for promotion. 

He added: "We recently mentioned with Daniel Kanu, but we can't be stupid with everybody. Will that be an area we look to? Potentially. 

"As much as we rely on these guys, we have to look after them to make sure that we stay strong."