Shrewsbury Town’s January transfer window frustration today continued as they missed out on landing Millwall forward Ben May.Manager Gary Peters today confirmed that Shrewsbury had tabled a bid for the 23-year-old which was accepted by the League One club.
But the player - who has bagged 28 goals in a career which has included loan spells at Brentford, Colchester and Scunthorpe - is hopeful of sealing a move to a Championship club.
May has become the fifth striker Peters has harboured an interest in - Liam Hatch, Richard Walker, Paul Mullin and Scott Vernon were the others - only for them to slip through his grasps for various reasons.
But Peters remains confident of bringing in one of his many targets before the end of the month.
“We had a bid accepted for Ben but his agent rang me yesterday to say that he is hoping to go to a Championship club,” said Peters.
“With the others, Liam Hatch would have cost too much when Peterborough became interested, Paul Mullin wouldn’t have been good business as a whole package, Scott Vernon hit form and got back into the Blackpool team and Richard Walker wants to stay at Bristol Rovers and get back in the team because he has worked hard to get promoted.
“We identified a diverse number of targets and we still have irons in the fire. We just can’t comment about the ones which are on-going.”
Peters, meanwhile, has revealed Jimmy Ryan is in strong contention for a first-team start during the coming weeks.
Town were unable to use the 19-year-old midfielder during a brief spell between his three-month loan ending and his permanent deal becoming active.
But that stint has now ended and Ryan offered a remainder of his capabilities by scoring a fine goal in yesterday’s 1-0 reserve team victory over Bradford.
“You have got to consider Jimmy now he is our player,” said Peters.
“It’s about bringing him in at the right time and the right place but its important between now and the end of the season we test if Jimmy can play in this division.
“He has done well in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and the League Cup against Colchester and Fulham and he will get his chances.
“As a good passer, Jimmy should enjoy our big, flat pitch but we want him to be athletic as well.”
10 Comments
Another case of he “May” come or “May” not come
You’ve got to ask why so many players are apparently not interested in joining us.
elding or proudlock at stockport, go on ask them, at worst they’ll say no. Everyone else has……
Is the presence of a certain manager’s negativity anything to do with players seemingly no longer wanting to come to what is now a ‘big’ club in league 2 with state of the art facilities and a great new stadium with the best playing surface (and untouched gras)in the league?
Act now Mr Wycherley. Time for Peters to go. Actually it was time for Peters to go after the debacles at Rotherham and Notts County.
Paul Simpson looks as if he’s off to Hibs so lets get Jim Harvey in from Forest Green.
Another loss at Edgar Street this weekend and then a home clash vs in form Morecambe(Who? And what size budget? And promoted via the conference play offs!)and then it’s Grimsby away, where’s the next run of positive results going to come from.
On yer bike Peters and pedal fast please!!!
if you must break the bank for a striker what about stuart fleetwood from forest green he’s only 21 scored 27 goals this season and playing only one league below ours……ideal….
If we couldn’t land those others,we’ve no hope of signing stuart fleetwood. I know tell GP about his big brother Mick,he’s been a hit with the fans wherever he’s played.I have to agree the lack of charisma and ambition shown by GP is going to have a serious effect on any players move. I like everybody else had high hopes for this season. The fans have played their part,so come on whose fault is it!!!
What about the boys down the road? They’ve got 6 strikers on the books - !
I’m not really sure you can blame the lack of signings on Peters. Three of the players he approached play in or are aiming to join Championship sides, while Liam Hatch went to Peterborough who have much more spending power than us. Only Mullin elected to stay at what I describe as a smaller team than us.
As the recently announced accounts show, it will take some time for the benefits of the new ground to filter through and allow us to compete with bigger sides in this league like MK Dons, Darlington and Peterborough.
As for Fleetwood, most commentators see him as just being a lower league striker who won’t make the step up to league level - maybe a bit like Jody Banim we had a few seasons ago.
Word seems to have got around to players who want to move from other clubs that Shrewsbury Town is a no go area thanks to the present manager and his training tactics. It’s either because of him or the clubs new badge. What player in his right mind would want to wear a lion with a few whiskers around its face on their shirt. You can go up the Wyle Cop and see exactly the same thing on the Lion Tap pub sign! It seems that town fans are going to design and market a new badge ( it looks fantastic by the way )to sew over the official merchandice sold at the club shop, such is the dislike for the new one sanctioned by the board.
I agree about the new badge,it looks like a cheap copy of Millwalls.Three roaring Leopards would have been better ( saying that there hasnt been much roaring on the pitch lately).
Ben Davies is a good player but I dont think hes the guy to be team captain,you need someone whos going to shout and bawl at players such as Darren Tinson used too ( wish he was 28 and still with us )We dont really have anyone in that mold yet.Another striker is needed without a doubt and until some money begins to filter through for us to compete we will have to look at the conference and below for talent or at the other end of the spectrum over the hill bigish names from leagues above us.Personally I prefere the former.
So to sum up we need the following :-
1.A captain who will give the players direction on the pitch.
2.A decent striker from the conference thats proved himself over a few seasons.
4.Get rid of the current coaching staff and get Leroy back in..PLEASE.