OLLY Lancashire says last year's relegation battle with Grimsby Town has made him a better player.

The Walsall centre-back played 26 times for the Mariners after initially joining on loan on the morning of Neil Woods' first game at the helm against Bournemouth.

He went on to extend his stay from Southampton and almost helped the team to a great escape, taking their relegation battle until the final day at Burton Albion.

It wasn't to be and, after his summer release from St Mary's, he moved to the Saddlers in League One.

But the 21-year-old is thankful for the chance of first-team football given to him by Town boss Woods last season.

He said: "It added another side to my game.

"Compared to playing reserve team football where nothing really matters I was suddenly involved in a relegation battle – going there (Grimsby) I had to scrap.

"I didn't have to go there, but I chose to go instead of sitting in the reserves with Southampton.

"It was a big challenge, but it was good experience to get some games.

"It changed me last year. I wasn't playing at Southampton even though the season before I played 15 games in the Championship so to go to Grimsby, despite the relegation, was great.

"We lost a lot of games, but we changed it a little bit towards the end and almost stayed up.

"It was a good experience at such a young age."