Jordan Cook aims for Walsall impact

Fresh-faced and slight of build, Jordan Cook doesn't look like a player ready for the brutal realities of Walsall's League One basement battle.

But appearances can be deceptive and the 21-year-old loanee from Sunderland aims to prove it.

Already, Cook has had a taste of the Football League's muck and nettles basement with a 'toughening up' spell on loan at Darlington 18 months ago.

He said: "In my first game I went off with a dead leg in one leg and a dead calf in the other - from the same tackle. It was quite an introduction.

"But it was great for me to play tough, first-team football."

Sunderland think quite a lot of the home-grown frontman as his two Premier League bloodings for them so far - against Manchester United and Chelsea - would suggest.

But a cruciate knee ligament injury has brought his career to a standstill in the last year and the Black Cats were anxious for the player to find a run of senior football.

Dean Smith's friendship with Sunderland coach Keith Bertschin took care of the rest.

Cook said: "It was great to get a call from Dean Smith and hear the manager of another club making it really clear how keen he was to get me here.

"That does wonders for your confidence and since I have been here I have been genuinely impressed.

"I was expecting something like Darlington where they share the training ground with the police. Here the training ground is quality and there's food for the players after the sessions, things like that.

"It's a really warm club, the lads made me feel welcome from the moment I walked in and I am desperate to do well for them.

"I am also impressed with the football. I obviously started on the bench at Milton Keynes Dons, that gave me the chance to watch the play and it was top quality.

"There was quite a difference to Darlington, where the League Two game is more direct."

And where does Cook see himself fitting in?

The youngster comes with a reputation for pace, either as a wide player or more centrally, but with an eye for getting in on goal.

He said: "My favourite position, where I think I am suited best, is up front alongside a big man where I can get on to his flick-ons because I don't think defenders are comfortable with my pace.

"When I got injured, there was a lot of talk at Sunderland about me needing to bulk up but I'm never going to have that sort of massive frame.

"So I spent eight months while injured working with leg weights and power off the mark and I think I have come back even sharper, perhaps quicker."

Smith is thrilled to have the option in his numbers.

He said: "Jordan has got a trick or two. He draws defenders in and then goes up a gear to go by them and he is a very exciting prospect.

"He could have a big role to play between now and the end of the season."

With only Aaron Lescott missing from his squad, Smith has a good hand to play over the vital run-in which begins with the Saddlers third from bottom but with time and games to yet make a great escape.

Avoiding defeat at Plymouth will be a minimum target. But with tomorrow's opponents in such desperate straits, there is inevitably talk of a three-point opportunity before that all-important run of three consecutive home games.

Smith, however, is warning against such complacency having watched - and been impressed by - Plymouth during defeat at Leyton Orient this week.

Despite relegation looming for the crisis-hit club, Argyle manager Peter Reid is whipping up an impressive act of defiance.

He said: "The players have been tremendous in a difficult situation and I can only think of a handful of performances where they haven't been up to it. Maybe Tuesday was one of them and we need to improve for this game.

"If we had got beaten and if I thought we had competed as well as we could have done, I wouldn't have had a problem with that.

"But, hand on heart, I don't think we did and I'm looking for a vast improvement at the weekend."