Gunning deal done

Gavin Gunning: the former Birmingham City defender has spent the last month with Oldham

GAVIN Gunning is in contention for a place in the line-up at Walsall, after agreeing an initial one month deal.

The 24-year-old centre back has been training with Athletic for over a month and has featured in all but one of the pre-season friendlies.

Though not quite up to full speed after missing virtually all of last season at Birmingham injured, manager Darren Kelly sees useful qualities in the former Dundee skipper.

“Gav is held in the very highest regard by people who have worked with him,” Kelly said. “He has a real presence about him. He had injury issues last season and is getting into his stride. He’s getting stronger with each game. At the end of a month we’ll assess it again.”

The only one of the club’s pre-season trialists to sign a deal, Gunning will be in the squad that travels to the Banks’s Stadium for the opening game of the season. He will compete for a spot alongside James Wilson with Middlesbrough loan man Jonathan Burn.

“Jonathan is a commanding presence at the back and very much a leader, despite being young,” said Kelly. “He is highly thought of within the game and fits in well.”

Kelly’s interest in Sunderland forward Duncan Watmore was made public when he first got the manager’s job. Despite rumours, nothing is imminent.