Walsall manager Dean Smith has spoken to the press ahead of this weekend's Sky Bet League One clash with Crewe Alexandra, and has discussed central defender Paul Downing's positive reaction to the criticism he received on the back of last month's 4-0 surrender to Rochdale.
Speaking to the Express & Star, Smith said; “It’s brilliant how he reacted to it and how he has kept on reacting to it since then.
“We have gone back to Rochdale in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and got the win but the redemption game for me was the Gillingham game. But I never expected us not to respond.
“You can see how he has grown. I thought he was excellent last Tuesday when we went back to Rochdale. He is getting better all the time.
“He is an established player in the squad now and is vice captain of the team and keeps going forward. That is what we want him to do.”
SOURCE EXPRESS & STAR