Romaine Sawyers pledges to step up goal tally for Walsall
Romaine Sawyers today admitted scoring more goals will be his major motivation next year.
The forward was the Saddlers' second top scorer this season, netting seven times in his first campaign in senior football.
After the club's decision not to offer 16-goal top scorer Craig Westcarr a new deal last week, Sawyers is the only senior frontman who will remain on the club's books for next season.
And the 22-year-old, who signed a new two-year deal earlier this month, admits he must improve his goal tally.
"I want to get those figures up," he said. "Seven goals is not a bad start to my career but it's not the best start. I feel I could have done better this year, I feel I could have scored more.
"Hopefully next year we won't have the same conversation where I'm saying I could have done better."
Sawyers, who tends to be employed behind a centre-forward, concedes he needs to at times make quicker decisions around the box and added: "There is a risk and reward factor in everything you do. Sometimes you have to weigh up the options, whether the risk or reward is greater.
"Next season I have just got to kick on. I will sit down with the management staff and try to get a plan in motion."
or a target in motion for us to aim for individually in terms of goals.
"Hopefully I can aim for that."
Sawyers is confident the Saddlers can challenge for a play-off spot next season after falling short this campaign. Dean Smith's men were in the hunt for the first two-thirds of the season but failed to last the pace – though Sawyers is confident they will be stronger next time around.
"Most definitely we can challenge," he said. "We showed for two-thirds of the season that we can be up there in the best six teams in the league.
"People say the table does not lie but I think this season it's an exception.
"We deserve to be where we are whether it's through bad luck against us or whether it's performances against us or not scoring enough.
"I think our performances were steady enough, especially in the first two-thirds of the season. If we keep pushing and keep believing we will be there next season."
