The Saddlers go to Shrewsbury on Tuesday for their FA Cup first-round replay on the back of five unbeaten games.

They drew 0-0 with Peterborough on Saturday to sit 16th in League One.

Smith had come under fire from a section of supporters after a stuttering start - although he was without several key players.

Sam Mantom, Jordan Cook and Ben Purkiss have all returned after injury but Smith said he knows there will always be critics.

He said: "People will always be doubters at times and you are never going to please everybody. That's something you come to learn with experience.

"I never look into it because you're never going to please everyone, whatever team you pick whether you're top of the league or not. I come in, do my job and pick a team I believe is going to win."

Walsall's run has coincided with their return to full strength after midfielder Mantom shrugged of a knee injury which had kept him out since August.

Winger Cook and defender Purkiss have recovered from an ankle injuries suffered in pre-season and Smith, who saw his side draw 2-2 with Shrewsbury in their first tie, insisted their problems needed to be taken into account.

"I was saying it at the time when results weren't going for us," Smith, who hopes to have Tom Bradshaw (hamstring) available on Tuesday, told Press Association Sport. "But there were also some performance levels which I didn't find acceptable.

"The one thing I've always been is honest when I reflect after the game. I am not going to change that. Some performances haven't been to the levels but what we've had in the last five or six games is good performances and we need to continue that."