Walsall boss sees growth in Paul Downing
Walsall manager Dean Smith today hailed Paul Downing's recent performances and claimed the young defender has grown as a player this season.
The Saddlers boss has also been hugely impressed with the 22-year-old's "brilliant" reaction to last month's thrashing at Rochdale.
He came in for fierce criticism along with the rest of the defence after the Saddlers conceded four without reply.
At the time, Smith described Downing as being "tortured" during the game but, since then, the former Albion youth-teamer has gone on to produce consistently strong performances.
Smith said: "It's brilliant how he reacted to it and how he has kept on reacting to it since then.
"We have gone back to Rochdale in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and got the win but the redemption game for me was the Gillingham game. But I never expected us not to respond."
Since they were beaten at Rochdale, the Saddlers have conceded just three goals in five games.
Smith insists he never considered dropping Downing, who he made the club's vice-skipper in the summer.
He said: "You can see how he has grown. I thought he was excellent last Tuesday when we went back to Rochdale. He is getting better all the time.
"He is an established player in the squad now and is vice captain of the team and keeps going forward. That is what we want him to do."
Meanwhile, former Walsall winger Febian Brandy is expecting a good reception from supporters when he returns to the Banks's Stadium this Saturday with bottom club Crewe.
The 25-year-old is currently on loan at Gresty Road from Championship side Rotherham.
Brandy, who quit the Saddlers for Sheffield United in 2013, said: "I think Walsall will be a good reception for me."
