With just over one-week until the start of the 2015/16 Football League campaign, Walsall manager Dean Smith has spoken to the local media and discussed Sam Mantom, insisting that this will be a big season for the midfield man.
Speaking to BBC WM, Smith said; "It's a big season for him in the last year of his contract, one he's itching for. He was player of the season in the first year of his contract. And then we hardly saw him last season through injury.
"At times we missed him as he's a quality player. We needed to go and get an emergency loan signing, Michael Cain, to come in and deputise.
"We've also a set of lads coming through. The likes of Reece Flanagan and Liam Kinsella. They're a year older with another season's education under their belts. They should be better and pushing for the first team."
"At times we missed him as he's a quality player. We needed to go and get an emergency loan signing, Michael Cain, to come in and deputise.
"We've also a set of lads coming through. The likes of Reece Flanagan and Liam Kinsella. They're a year older with another season's education under their belts. They should be better and pushing for the first team."
SOURCE: BBC SPORT / BBC WM