Andy Cook not surprised by Walsall start

The Saddlers head to the Kassam Stadium sitting joint third in League One having lost just one of their eight games in the division so far.

Dean Keates’ side were tipped as favourites for relegation before a ball had been kicked.

But Cook has always expected the Saddlers to be competing at the right end of the table.

“There is a togetherness here, the entire team wants to go out and perform for each other and the fans,” he said.

“I’m not surprised by our start, especially when you think how well we played when we beat Ajax and Cheltenham in pre-season.

“People were writing us off. That makes you want to prove a point and at the minute we’re doing exactly that – proving them wrong.

“I don’t want to jinx it but I’d like to think we can definitely get in the top half and hopefully the play-offs or promotion.”

Cook is finally getting his chance in the Football League after scoring goals for fun in non-league over the past four years.

But while he always believed he would get his shot, the 27-year-old did wonder why it took so long for a club to give him his big break.

Cook said: “It was a question I would ask myself a lot – ‘I’m scoring goals, why is nobody taking a chance on me?’

“I didn’t let it get me down, but I’d see people getting moves who were scoring less goals than me.

“I did think ‘what’s going on?’

“But I just kept going and thankfully the gaffer here took me in.

“I massively grateful. I might never have got the chance to play in League One.

“I owe Walsall a lot. Hopefully I can better myself now, kick on and get promoted with Walsall.”