Shrewsbury Town are seeking to provide their loyal band of supporters with the “wow” factor as their pursuit for new signings continue.Managing director Rob Bickerton is confident the players on Town’s radar will excite fans who are desperate for an improvement on last season’s 18th place League Two finish in 2008-9.
Manager Paul Simpson yesterday confirmed offers for four players are currently on the table, and Bickerton added today: “We are working hard to bring players in and, in my opinion, hopefully bring players in who will make the fans and people go wow.
“We are talking about players who, people who follow the Football League, would recognise (the names) and whose track records and reputations speak for themselves.
“We are working hard but it’s difficult because players who are in demand by more than one club aren’t in a rush to make up their mind - and that’s something we totally understand.”
Speculation continues that Town are in the hunt for Nottingham Forest striker Grant Holt, who is also understood to be attracting attention from Hartlepool and Carlisle, his home town club.
Bickerton, meanwhile, has set his sights on season ticket sales exceeding 3,000 for the first time on record before the close season is out.
Last season’s figure of 2,500 has already been beaten, and Bickerton is thrilled with the response.
“The support the fans are showing is just unbelievable and it would be great if we could get up to 3,000 on season tickets,” he added.
“When people show that kind of commitment, it gives us that security to commit to players.
“There seems a good feeling around the place at the moment and if we can keep that bandwagon going then you never know what can be achieved.”
By James Garrison
9 Comments
Wow
Lets hope they have the ‘fab four’ in the sleeve, unless it would be very unwise to make a statement like that, it would be very unprofessional.
Grant Holt will not sign for a team which finished 18th in L2. Me thinks he will join a, well, better team as his career is not yet reached the ‘washed up’ stage as yet. We need a reality check as this pre-season is looking ominously like the build up to the 1999-2000 season.
Grant Holt is more than likely off to Carlisle as he seeks a return home, The Gas are also after him so unless silly money is put on the table for wages I can’t see him coming here. He had a poor season with Forest and struggled with injuries.
I have a sneaking suspicion that Simmos’ old boy Karl Hawley may drop down the leagues after struggling at Championship level with PNE - he’s from Walsall so would be local too.
Expect to see (hopefully) new captain Graham Lee as a permanent fixture after his release from Doncaster too.
Wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the arrival of a quality ‘keeper too, Chris Weale would be more than welcome in between the sticks.
Looking fo ran oldy on a free transfer then how about Zigor Aranalde in defence - released by Carlisle at 35yrs young and still as fit as a butchers dog and still a very good player at this level.
We await the ‘WOW’ factor with anticipation.
All this talk is just to try and improve season ticket sales, if more people think we are going to get some quality big name players in then more people will want to get some tickets. That’s just my thoughts anyway.
First time for anything i suppose - im more impressed with the flying pigs over the stadium!
still waiting to be wowed
Well done town youi have got them all thinking, best of British (old Britain) with all your new signings.
UP THE TOWN
Karl Hawley makes more sense with the local connection than Grant Holt ?
Otherwise the facts are that season tickets sales are holding up despite 1.The awful previous season ! 2. The credit crunch !
The rumours are being used to boost the sales but lets face it this is a business.
We must actually sign a few of these targets or look rather silly !
Up the Town.