Gerrard's transfer request was not enough to force a move

Walsall have resisted any offers for central defender Anthony Gerrard despite the player handing in a transfer request last week.

The summer deadline passed without the former Everton player getting a move from the Banks's Stadium.

"Good players will always want to play at the highest level, and we understand that. Anthony's no different," chief executive Roy Whalley told BBC WM.

"The way to get to that highest level is to put in good performances."

Saddlers supporters had feared a repeat of the January transfer window, when young defenders Scott Dann and Daniel Fox were sold to near neighbours Coventry City.

"As far as the club is concerned, obviously we don't want to keep unhappy players," Whalley added.

"But at the end of the day we have a responsibility that if we do sell a player we get a good market value for them.

"And because of the way in which the club is run we are able to do that. Another club can't come along and hold us to ransom. We can negotiate the best possible deal and that's what we'll do."

Walsall's first team squad has undergone wholesale changes over the course of the summer, but Whalley believes the club has emerged in good shape.

"Our supporters understandably were a little bit restless during the summer because they had to wait for the signings to come along.

"But we brought some very good signings into the club like Marco Reich, Stephen Hughes and Jabo Ibehre.

"They've come in to join some very promising young players and my personal view is we've got a stronger squad than we did 12 months ago."