Liam Kelly has said that Walsall’s success this year can be achieved by the Latics as he considers the two clubs of similar standing. Built on the third-lowest budget in the division they achieved the play-offs, looking like favourites for automatic promotion before they fell away. They used only 26 players for the entire season.
Kelly said, “We have used more players than most sides in this league. A lot of players and a lot of managers . . .when things are changing, you can’t let outside influences change your own game. Thankfully, the tide eventually turned. The performances picked up and the results came with it. If you see Walsall’s position last year, they were flirting with relegation. It is near enough the same squad they have got now and they have finished in the play-offs. It is something we can look at and hopefully, replicate.”