White hot striker is Simpson answer

Shrewsbury Town have made a raid on the Championship to freshen up their striking options ahead of tonight’s trip to Chesterfield.

Teenage forward Jamie White has signed on a month’s loan from Southampton after Michael Symes made the switch to join Town’s League Two rivals Bournemouth in a similar temporary move.

And White, who turns 19 next week and has made three substitutes for the Saints this term, is available for the trip to Saltergate.

 “Jamie’s very sharp and can play either wide right or left, or down the middle,” said Simpson.

“He’s got a decent scoring record at reserve and youth team level and Southampton think very highly of him.

“He’ll bring some pace to the side which is something I think we need.”

While White moves north, 25-year-old Symes goes south to link up with former Town boss Jimmy Quinn at Bournemouth for the next month.

“Michael had got himself to a level before the Morecambe game where I thought he was going to push on,” said Simpson.

“He got injured and, in my opinion, I don’t think he has got back to those levels since.

“Michael’s now got the opportunity to go to Bournemouth and prove that he can be effective.”

Meanwhile, Simpson has urged his players to grasp the chance of going to the top of League Two – at least until tomorrow’s games – with victory at Chesterfield tonight.

“We have the chance to go top and if we do, however long it lasts, it means we are doing something right,” said Simpson.

“But we have to do the job properly. I want us to be attacking but we have to cut out the silly goals we gave away last week (at Blyth) and stay involved in the game longer.”

Simpson must decide whether to utilise midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson in his final match before returning to Reading.

But goalkeeper Luke Daniels, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff and Ben Davies are all absentees through injury.

By James Garrison