Walsall: From League Two title favourites to play-off outsiders – will Saddlers bounce back?

Former Saddlers goalkeeper Jimmy Walker won three promotions in more than a decade with the club, including in the play-off final in 2001 to reach the second tier.

“If you look back over the last two months, we haven’t deserved it,” Walker, who made a record 534 appearances for the club, told BBC Radio WM.

“It’s not that game [Crewe] – it’s down to what happened in the months before. We had two wins in 20 games, 16 points from a possible 60, you can’t go up like that.”

Walker agrees that Sadler and his coaches have to make the players believe promotion is still possible.

“It’s really tough to pick yourself back up – this is where your staff come into it and the mindset of your players,” he said.

“The psychology is massive. Can you let that go, what’s happened? Because you have to.

“Now it’s a cup competition. We’ve already drawn with, and beat, Chesterfield in the league so that’s a good omen.

“I’m not saying we’re going to win the play-offs but it’s massive what the staff do now to get the players going again.

“Put everything to bed, get them together and say ‘listen, this is how we go forward’ and, to be honest, the best way to get promoted is through the play-offs.

“And what a way to do it after the season they’ve had.”