Walsall defender Rico Browne tipped to thrive by former boss

Browne, who joined Walsall as a free agent in September, spent last season on loan with the Pics alongside fellow Saddlers man Ronan Maher. 

The 20-year-old impressed on his Walsall debut in their 3-0 victory over Shrewsbury Town in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday after returning from his one-month loan spell at National League outfit Tamworth. 

And McDonald admitted he was "gutted" to lose Browne who he expects to thrive at Bescot in the future.

"Walsall is a fantastic move for Rico but it's equally as good for Walsall. I've managed a lot of defenders over the years that have gone on and played Championship football but Rico is up there with the best I've had," McDonald revealed.

"I actually said to him after our cup final, the biggest disappointment for me is that he is not going to play for me again. I was gutted because he's so enjoyable to watch. 

"No offence but you can't really name many enjoyable defenders that you like to go and watch but he's one of them. Within time he'll do really well at Walsall and I believe if he can do that then he can move on.

"A lot of non-league players now when they have offers from League Two or League One and Walsall come in for them. They'll be half thinking, these boys are getting chances, so it's probably a place to ply your trade at this moment in time."

Browne arrived at Dales Lane on loan from Birmingham City in December last year and scored the winning goal at Chester City on only his second appearance for the club. 

He went on to make 18 appearances in the National League North as Rushall survived the drop at the end of their first ever campaign in the sixth-tier. 

The Pics backed up their league survival with a double success in the Worcestershire Senior Cup and Walsall Senior Cup and McDonald insists Browne was crucial to their historic campaign.

"Probably how good of a footballer he was. He's very much a sitting midfielder playing at centre-half but he's actually a centre-half," he continued.

"It's so rare that you to get those players that can step into midfield, who have good technique, are calm in pressurising moments and he had all of that. 

"The way that we set-up last season to play out from the back, he was crucial in doing that and he was one of the big reasons why we stayed up last season because of his performances.

"Rico is a centre-half but how good he is on the ball is very rare for a centre-half. We used him a lot stepping in and sort of being a defensive midfielder through transitions and travelling with the ball, and we used his quality a lot."