Andy Butler in Saddlers booster

Captain Andy Butler believes Walsall are only small margins away from fulfilling manager Dean Smith's dream of transforming the club's League One outlook.

The Saddlers remain locked in a fight for survival which reaches another key moment this weekend when Butler leads out the side for a Banks's Stadium clash against bottom club Chesterfield.

But it's a Walsall team gaining in confidence and belief after a run of one defeat in 11 games and now convinced, says Butler, of its capacity to survive.

"I believe we will get the points we need – I think we all do," said the man whose last-gasp header at relegation rivals Rochdale added another valuable point to the total last weekend.

"We've lost one game in 11 and that's not the form of a bad team. We could have so easily have turned some of those draws into wins which would have been the difference between where we are now and pushing on much further up the table.

"But the margins are that tiny and I don't think we are far away."

from getting up the table and challenging at the top end in the future.

"Everybody believes that and that is what we are aiming for. It feels different then last year when we were at the bottom for so long and to get out of it was massive.

"This season, we've not been turned over badly. We have only lost that one game to Bury by a few goals. If we do get dragged in now and I believe we have what it takes to get out of it."

Butler cites the growing goal-scoring threat as the main reason for the team's growing confidence that Smith has found a blend to win another survival battle.

The arrival of loan players Sam Mantom and Florent Cuvelier – both of whom have committed to seeing the campaign through with the Saddlers - has been the catalyst even if it has cost Saddlers a little defensive security.

"We struggled at the start of the season to but I think when we go forward now we go forward with purpose. Flo has come in and made a massive difference – that's how we want to play. As long as we score more goals than the opposition, then I don't mind if we are leaving ourselves a little more open in the process."