Tamworth manager Andy Morrell has spoken to the local press and revealed that he recently visited Walsall's Essington Training Ground and met with manager Jon Whitney and coach Neil Cutler as he seeks to forge ties with the Saddlers ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.
42-year-old Morrell, who has made over five-hundred appearances over the course of his career, is keen to link up with local sides and loan in players as he looks to achieve promotion from the Vanarama National League North in the not too distant future.
Morrell, who gained plenty of managerial experience with Wrexham before joining the Lambs in 2014, has already built a link between his team and Wolverhampton Wanderers and is keen to agree a similar deal with the Saddlers.
Speaking via the Tamworth Herald, Morrell said; "I know the goalkeeping coach at Walsall, Neil Cutler, from our time at Bury. He invited me to go in and watch them training and it was really good to go in and network.
"Jon Whitney was really helpful – very honest and open. We had a good chat. I spoke about some of the difficulties I have had as manager and it was good to ask Jon and his staff what they would have done in the same situation.
"It gives you some extra advice and ideas. You don't use all of it but it's about picking out the bones of what people tell you. The good thing about Walsall is that they have a fairly big squad as well with a lot of young lads.
"There are a couple they might want to send out on loan. So it was good for me to come and have a look at them and, at the same time, Jon now knows me as well. It's good that you have that contact rather than just picking up a phone.
"I'm finding it more and more, as you go on, it's good to go out and have this networking. It's something that I'd like to think could benefit, not only us, but also clubs likes Walsall. I'd like to thank Jon, Neil and the coaching team for allowing me to go in and see them."