Craig Westcarr casts doubt over Walsall future

The striker, who finished the season with 16 goals, is among several out-of-contract players preparing to discuss their futures with Saddlers boss Dean Smith this week.

Westcarr feels he did enough to be offered a new deal during the course of the campaign and remains uncertain as to what the discussions with the manager might hold.

"It's difficult because when you are doing well you expect to at least have a conversation or at least be rewarded with something," he said. "But it's not to be and they have let it go to the end of the season, who knows now?

"I have had no discussion whatsoever about a contract which, I can't lie, is disappointing because I would have liked to have things sorted early on but it's just not happened.

"There are six or seven on contract and possibly nine out of contract. Whether it is a good ploy to do that and leave things till the end of the season, we will only see that in the summer."

The Saddlers handed new deals to James Baxendale, Sam Mantom, Paul Downing and Richard O'Donnell this season, while Westcarr's forward partner Romaine Sawyers signed a new two-year deal last week.

Andy Taylor, James Chambers, Ben Purkiss and Nicky Featherstone are among the other senior players out of contract, while question marks remain over influential skipper Andy Butler, who must decide whether to take up an option to extend his current deal by a further year.

Westcarr – who will sit down with Smith on Wednesday - says he would like to remain at the Banks's but admits he is less certain of committing than he was a few months ago.

When asked if he wants to stay, he replied: "Yes, of course, but we just have to wait and see.

"I think it's gone from the point where if someone would have said two or three months ago, 'here you go' - I would have said yes straight away.

"People say you don't have to worry about it but you do at the end of the day. You have kids, you don't just live on your own, you don't play for free do you?

"It's difficult to think about it, letting someone who has scored 16 goals run all the way to the end of the season.

"As I say, we will see what happens. People have got their own views on it and how certain people work but for me it's slightly disappointing not to be offered anything."

Westcarr signed for the Saddlers after being released by Chesterfield in January 2013 and scored five goals before the end of last season. After finally signing a new one-year deal in July following protracted talks, he has been the club's main striker this term and his 16-goal haul is a career best.

He added: "You are waiting and you are thinking, am I going to get something? Can I go on holiday? You can't rest.

"At the end of the day he will talk to us this week but they have given others contracts, why not give the people who have done well contracts? It's easy to say we'll sit down and speak to them.

"For me, it is a slight disappointment."

When asked if he had attempted to initiate any discussion on his future, Westcarr replied: "Players don't need to. You see it from the Premier League down to the Conference.

"You are rewarded if you do well, that is common nature. You don't risk nine of your best players. I don't know, maybe I am not speaking sense but you don't risk that."

He went on: "I don't know about the budgets or that situation but you would think if they have got a tight budget, it's even more so important.

"We'll see what happens, see what the deal is and see what they bring on the table. Hopefully everything goes well, not just for me though but for everyone else - there is Buts, Tayls, Jay, Nicky – players who have had good seasons at the end of the day and players who could do good jobs at other clubs."