Walsall manager Dean Smith has spoken to the press ahead of Saturday's Sky Bet League One trip to Fleetwood Town, and has offered a brief update on the plight of injury absentee Sam Mantom, who has recently suffered a slight recurrence of the knee injury which has kept him out of the Saddlers' starting XI for the whole of the season so far.
Speaking to the Express & Star, Smith said; "Sam is injured slightly again. I wanted to start him on Tuesday and get him back into business but we couldn't and it will be the softly, softly approach with him. Hopefully he will be back to either be on the bench or to start on Saturday.
"It has been a concern from the moment I was told about it and it is a concern he keeps feeling it every now and again.
“He has done ever so well when he has come on – I thought he was excellent for the 20 minutes he played against Sheffield United last week.
“But he came to see me on Friday and said he was feeling it again and could he rest with his eye on Shrewsbury. Unfortunately it just wasn't good enough.
“I was speaking to the doctor and Jon Whitney about it and they worry whether they have missed something, but they have back-tracked and covered all the bases.
“It is just one of those rare ones which keeps coming back.”
SOURCE EXPRESS & STAR