Walsall open new contract talks with Will Grigg

The striker hit his first senior hat-trick in Tuesday's 3-0 rout of Carlisle and has 14 goals this term.

Grigg is out of contract at the end of the season but the Saddlers have moved to tie down the 21-year-old as they try to keep their top talent.

Mal Benning, Andy Taylor and Paul Downing have all penned new deals this year and Smith is now discussing terms with several other stars – including Grigg.

Smith said: "There are a few players' representatives I'm talking with to sort things out – Will's being one of them.

"We're in talks and I've said to Will before I believe the best place for him is Walsall.

"Whatever he does this season, come the end of it, I feel he needs another season improving and developing and then he may be able to go and play higher.

"It's slowly, slowly with him and he's worked really hard to turn people round as there were a few people who weren't so sure about him. I've always seen the quality there and he's coming through."

Grigg scored just four goals last season but has since earned two senior Northern Ireland caps and become central to the Saddlers' late play-off charge.

Tuesday's win left them six points behind the top six with 11 games remaining ahead of Saturday's derby clash with Shrewsbury.

The Saddlers are after revenge following their 1-0 defeat at the Shrews in October – a loss Grigg missed while on international duty.

He has made 101 appearances, scoring 22 goals, since his debut at Cheltenham in December 2008 after coming through the youth ranks.

And Smith reckons the Solihull-born hitman is starting to show how good he can really be.

"There are not many centre-halves who want to be playing against him," he said.

"He's getting in between them, he's getting round them and he's a nuisance.

"He's not a target man and he's not one who just goes in behind but he does a bit of everything. He's adding to his stature and you can see to sort of player he can become."