Walsall taking time with summer signing Priestley Farquharson as Mat Sadler gives recovery update

The former Newport County stopper, a summer signing at Bescot Stadium, has made just four Saddlers appearances and has not featured since a foot injury forced him off early in the home defeat to AFC Wimbledon on September 23.

Farquharson, 26, had already missed the first five League Two games of the season through a separate injury.

The defender was pictured in training at the club’s Essington base this week but, as the Saddlers return to action at home to Forest Green today, Sadler has cooled expectations. He said: “Priestley is back out with us, he’s been out for a while now, so we’ve got to manage him really, really well.

“We’ve got to manage what we expect of him in terms of the time he’s going to play, but just having him out there was great, it’s a big boost for everybody, it’s been a long time coming.

“He’s on the comeback trail, we’ve just got to decide when and where to piece him in.”

Midfielder Jack Earing, meanwhile, is set to step up his return to contention from a long-term knee setback. The 24-year-old has played just three minutes of football in 2023 – on January 1 – and last started in December last year.

But former FC Halifax man has completed two weeks of full contact training and is now on the hunt for minutes as he rediscovers match sharpness.

“Friday was the end of his second week of contact work and now it’s up to me to find him a game,” Sadler added.

“I need to get him some match minutes and once he’s done that he comes right into contention.”

Earing penned a new short-term deal in the summer, taking him into a third Walsall season.

The Saddlers boss, meanwhile, has been grateful for time away due to the international break, with the best part of a fortnight off action easing the burden in the Essington treatment room.

“The time off has certainly enabled us to bring things a little bit closer together again, in terms of the bodies, we’re getting really close to have a treatment room that isn’t an A&E department!” Sadler said. “And that’s how you want it, so it’s been really beneficial.

“We’ve had rest, recovery and really good training days, a mixture of all three, we welcome back the ones who’ve been away sunning themselves for the past 10 days as well.

“I need to get out there for a (scouting) mission!”