Dean Keates: January is massive for Walsall

The Saddlers have failed to win any of their last six matches with that run seeing them drop to 15th in League One, just five points above the relegation zone.

A dreadful defensive record has been the main reason for their poor form with Walsall having conceded a whopping 17 goals during that spell.

Keates is working hard this month to improve his squad following the opening of the transfer window.

And with crunch games coming up against Scunthorpe, Gillingham and Plymouth, the boss knows his team face a crucial few weeks.

“January is absolutely massive for the football club if we want to move forward,” Keates said.

“That means bringing the right characters and personalities into the club.

“Hopefully we will have one or two new arrivals in the next week. And then we have to make sure we pick up enough points in the games coming up.”

Keates is confident of landing more players this month with the 40-year-old having already snapped up Matt Jarvis and Omar Mussa.

But boss says he often has to be patient in the market – while he also revealed there could be an outgoing this month.

“Maybe there will be one going out,” the manager continued.

“When it comes to the ins, at the moment we are speaking and making phone calls.

“Hopefully we will get some good news soon.

“As it stands, at the moment, there are players and agents pushing to get the most they can.

“We are always going to be one of the last choices, unfortunately. That is what we are about as a football club.

“But we need to stick together, pull together and we showed when I played here that we can always defy the odds.”