Football Season Guide

Shrewsbury are coming from a successful season of return to the third tier, as they flirted with relegation for long periods, but eventually just managed to get over the line and stay in the division. The Shrews are indeed a typical Graham Turner-run club : they don't really have any key players of their own, and heavily depend on the men that they manage to capture on the loan market. They've underwent quite a few changes during the summer, as seven players left the club, with the departure of Jermaine Grandison, who had been an ever-present in the side until suffering a serious injury in January, being perhaps the biggest surprise, although the likes of Matt Richards and Mark Wright both also left despite playing significant roles last season. The signings include Akwasi Asante, who joins on another loan after spending time with the Shrews last season, Tamika Mkadanwire, who can play in defence or defensive midfield and is a solid player at this level, former Wycombe defender Dave Winfield, as well as John Marsden and Alex McQuade, who are both unknowns at this level. Some of the key players from last season, such as Dave McAllister, Chris Weale, Luke Summerfield and Jon Taylor, will be expected to deliver the goods once again, but Shrewsbury currently have only fifteen players on their books and it's clear as day that they will once again be heavily involved in the loan market.