Walsall manager Darrell Clarke has spoken ahead of this weekend's League Two clash with Tranmere Rovers and refused to rule out making some signings when the Transfer Window opens in January.
Speaking to the Express & Star's Walsall F.C. correspondent Liam Keen, Darrell said; "We’ve had to make 13 people redundant, fans have given up a lot of their season ticket money, staff are on pay cuts and players are on deferrals so this is no disrespect, but we’ve got to survive as a football club.
Clarke, who retained the vast majority of his mid-table-finishing squad from last season, also insisted the overall survival of the club is paramount and he won't be making signings for the sake of it
With budgets slashed, income at an all-time low, and after the club was forced to lay-off thirteen members of staff transfer money is not readily available with the board and manager having to cut their cloth accordingly.
Following the recent news of a 'bail out' agreement between the EFL and Premier League Walsall will soon receive a financial boost, but when asked whether that means a bigger playing budget in January, Clarke insisted the club comes first.
"It’s not about putting money into signing new players. I believe we have a squad of players capable of getting out of this division.
"It will need a few tweaks but it won’t be at a financial massive layout, we’re not in that position as a football club.
"I’ll be having discussions with the chairman and we’ll see how we go but the first priority is to make sure that we do what we need to do to sustain the football club and get a level playing field.
"This club is a well-run football club, on the financial front, for the last thirteen years and that’s why we are sat here having the same conversation.
"The plaudits go to the people running the football club and everyone who has done their bit. Let’s not talk about wholesale players coming in because it isn’t going to be that."