Shrewsbury 'in the Sticks'

Last week Hereford United manager John Trewick wrote an article for the Hereford Times in which he spelt out the problems in bringing players to Edgar Street.

This morning a similar article has appeared on the Shropshire Star website in which James Pugh asks why players won't go to Shrewsbury Town.

The topic has arisen as the Shrews had a £100,000 bid for Barnet's John O'Flynn turned down during the transfer window.

Here's part of Pugh's article.

After Barnet’s John O’Flynn turned down the chance to join us in January, it begs the questions – is Shrewsbury an unattractive place to play football?

The reason I ask this is that only last summer Dagenham’s Paul Benson turned down the chance to join us and instead signed a new contract with his club.

Town have a lot going for them – they have got a big name manager, they have got one of the best fan bases in the division, they have got money and they have been challenging for promotion in the last few seasons.

Why then would players representing ‘smaller’ clubs reject the chance to join us? Perhaps it’s because they don’t think we have got the potential to get promoted or perhaps they think Shrewsbury is located ‘in the sticks’ and is not a fashionable place to live.

The only positive to come out of the transfer deadline day was that it answered a question I have long been asking – have Town any money to spend on players?

The bid of £100,000 for O’Flynn showed we have got money and the chairman is prepared to back the manager.

---