Richard Money has told the Express and Star that the current transfer activity is not over yet.

Despite the seven signings this summer so far, Money told the paper that he hasn’t finished looking to strengthen his squad and that more arrivals are possible right up until the end of the transfer window.

He has hinted that there could be more foreign signings, although it is difficult to see where there is room in the squad for more players, other than the centre of midfield, where cover for Dobson and Sonner is lacking, other than Darren Wrack and youngster Bradley.

Right back, and cover for Rhys Weston, may be another area which he is looking at, as could another experienced striker.

Richard Money has put what looks to be the finishing touches to his squad for the start of the season, other than the possible signing of another striker, with two signings today.

Paul Boertien is the former Derby County and Carlisle full back who has had is career blighted by injury over the last couple of seasons, but was highly rated by the Rams fans. Oddly enough, the 28 year old made his league debut for Carlisle against Walsall in 1999, so he may well end up making his Walsall debut against Carlisle!

Edrissa Sonko is a Gambian international with 14 caps who spent six season with FC Roda in the Dutch Eredivisie, so he has a very good pedigree. He is a quick, tricky winger, able to play on either flank, or as a striker.

I’m sure all Saddlers fans will be extending a warm welcome to the two new players and wish them well during their time at the Banks’s.

It came as something as a surprise last night in the pre season friendly at Stafford Rangers last night, when a trialist turned up in the left back slot. It came as something of a surprise as well, when it turned out to be the former Derby man, Paul Boertien.

The Northumberland born left back was bought by Derby from Carlisle in 1999 and made a breakthrough into the first team the following year, when the side had a spell of injuries and he made the left back slot his own for a while. Boertien then, however, suffered from an unlucky run of injuries between 2004 and 2006 which saw him a virtual ever present in the treatment room. He made his return to the first team after almost two years in a 2-1 victory over Hull City in August 2006.

An injury sustained during the Boxing Day defeat to Wolves, coupled with the signing of Blackburn Rovers James McEveley, saw Boertien slip to third choice left back and manager Billy Davies announced his his contract would not be renewed at the end of the season, after over eight years at Pride Park.

Since then, he has been looking for a club and had a trial spell with Oldham, but they didn’t make him an offer.

He is 5 foot 10 and seems to have been highly rated by the Derby fans when he was there. Like Walsall’s full back signing on the other flank, Rhys Weston, he will be looking to rebuild his career, in his case following a bad run of injuries, and could turn out to be an excellent signing. However, any such signing would call into question where Danny Fox and Ishmel Demontagnac would fit in.

Walsall’s latest trialist in their game at Worcester yesterday was Gambian International attacking midfielder Edrissa Sonko. So, what do we know about him?

He’s a 27 year old with 14 International caps for Gambia and has spent most of his professional career in Holland, having started out at Anderlecht before moving to Dutch Eredivisie side FC Roda in 2000.

He has always been somethinbg of a fringe player at Roda, but was obviously well enough thought of to have been given contract extensions, having been there nearly seven years. He did play 22 games in 2002/3 and 25 in 2004/5, so was a first choice in those two seasons.

He was then bought by Greek club Xanthi in January 2007 and given a three year contract, but something hasn’t worked out, as he is now a free agent.

He has, apparently, the ability to play down both flanks and had the nickname “Mr Sunshine” at Roda.

Clubs like Walsall don’t find players like David W Preece very often.

David was born in Bridgnorth in Shropshire in 1963 and signed professional forms for the Saddlers in 1980, after a two year apprenticeship

He was a player who soon became a favourite with the fans, as local lads often do, but, in his case, it wasn’t just his all action style of play which made him stand out, nor his shock of long, blond hair, but the fact that he had a touch of real class about him as well. It was his partnership with Craig Shakespeare which not only gave Third Division sides the run around, but also managed to dominate top flight teams during the League Cup run and the victory at Highbury and the draw at Anfield.

He made 111 appearances for Walsall, before being sold to Luton Town in 1984.in a deal which saw Steve Elliott come the other way and became a firm favourite there, winning a League Cup medal in 1988, as well as earning an England “B” cap

David was one of the best home produced players I have seen play for the Saddlers in the forty odd years I have been watching. The news of his passing today after a heart attack, doubtless bought on by a battle against throat cancer, at the tragically early age of 44 is dreadful. At least the memories will live on.

David “Mini” Preece, RIP.

A tribute to him from Luton fans can be found here:

http://www.lutonfc.com/cgi-bin/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1184946377,48964,

As predicted some days ago on the UTS message board, Rhys Weston has become Walsall’s latest signing.

The six foot Welsh International right back has been on trial with the Saddlers for the past week and Manager Richard Money told the Official Web Site that he was pleased to sign a player most of whose experience has been at Championship level. He has been given a one year contract.

The 26 year old started his career at Arsenal, making his debut at the same time as Ashley Cole, before being sold to Cardiff for £300,000. Last season he went to Norway (Viking Stavanger), before returning to join Port Vale in January. He gained seven International Caps under Mark Hughes.

Richard Money gave a frank interview to the Evening Mail yesterday, in which he outlined his thinking for the season to come and made it quite obvious that he will not see the team as it lines up on the first day as a completed work.

He said that he knows that the team will change between now and the kick off and will change again during the course of the season, including the January transfer window, and gave examples from last season of how he saw acquisitions giving current players a necessary “kick up the backside”. He also said that even apparent failures may well have had the desired effect by freshening up the squad.

It is also quite obvious that he sees his only job as achieving success and that other considerations are secondary.

The full text of what he said was:-

“Last year’s squad got this club promoted as champions. We made two signings early in the summer, three more in pre-season, brought a couple of loans in before Christmas, added to the squad in January and brought three loans in close to deadline day.

That’s what happens. We started with a squad that needed strengthening and help to get it over the line.

A club in our position can’t run with hundreds of players at the start of the season and hope they will see you through the year. You build as the season goes on.

As a manager you just try not to make too many mistakes a long the way. Some people come in and don’t play too much of a part in the action.

But who knows how much effect they had on the team? Last season Carlos Fangueira came in and it’s no coincidence that Mark Wright had his best spell of the season.

Par Cederqvist came in and Hector Sam had the biggest kick up the backside he had all year and produced the goods.

Some players come straight into the team. Others make other players buck their ideas up.

All that matters is where the squad takes you at the end of the season.”

the message board is down until further notice. Technicians are investigating.

Update 11pm BST – message board back, memory doubled. If it happens again tomorrow, for 4th day in a row:

a) it obviously isn’t a memory problem

b) admin will tear his remaining hair out

Following today’s capture of Tommy Mooney, of possibly even more interest is that the club have made an offer to someone to fill the troublesome right back slot.

Welsh International Rhys Weston, who made his debut for Arsenal at the same time as Ashley Cole, has been offered a deal by the Saddlers, accordning to the Welsh Press.

The six foot right back started his career with the Gunners, befoe being bought by Cardiff for £300,000 in 2000.

After five seasons there, during which he picked up his seven International caps, Dave Jones released him and he went to play in Norway. He didn’t settle and came back during the January 2007 transfer window and finsihed the season with Port Vale.

He’s six foot and good in the air, which tends to fit the pattern of Richard Money full backs.

The Walsall Advertiser has finally caught up with the news.

They have “revealed” in today’s edition what posters on the UTS message board have known for some days, that Lincoln City midfielder Lee Frecklington was one of the players being actively pursued by the Saddlers.

The attacking midfielder was one of the outstanding performers in Division 2 last season and could prove to be a key member of the squad if Walsall were able to capture his signature. His signing would certainly help to ease some of the worries being expressed over the lack of activity in the transfer market.

Sources also tell us that the club are in talks with a striker at the moment and that there maybe some movement on that front too, although the player is not Darren Byfield.