Top marksman on firing the club forward...
STRIKER, Tom Bradshaw, admitted that finding the back of the net early in his Walsall career, helped prove he could cut it in League One.
The 23-year old scored on his debut in the first game of the 2014/15 season, which provided the perfect platform for his 20-goal return.
“It did wonders for my confidence,” said Bradshaw. “For me, scoring early on as a striker proves to your new team mates that you’re a good addition to the club.
“I hope I can do the same and get off the mark quickly on Saturday.
“It’s been a great pre-season. Everyone has come back in good shape, which has allowed us to move things along at a quicker pace than expected.
“Everyone is fighting for places and it’s a good competitive atmosphere in the dressing room at the moment.”
Ahead of his second season at the Banks’s, Bradshaw has dismissed fears of being a marked man this time around and has insisted on remaining focused on his own game.
“I was a marked man by Christmas last season,” he argued. “I’d already scored over ten goals by the new year so teams knew I was a goal threat half way through the season.
“For me it’s all about being confident. Whether they’re going to mark you tightly or not, nothing changes. I have to keep getting into those positions and find the back of the net.
“The benchmark for any striker is still fifteen goals. Once you reach that goal, you can progress from there and that’s no different for me this season.
“It was a tough start for us last season because we didn’t get our fist win for about six or seven games so it immediately put us on the back foot and chasing the pack.
“It would be great for us to get off to a good start on Saturday and take it from there.“