Player of the year Marc Tierney has been given a clean bill of health to resume training with his Shrewsbury Town team-mates when they return from Spain.Left-back Tierney was forced to pull out of the training camp in Almeria because of a tendon injury – but has responded well to treatment.

Physio Rachel Greenley, who has been overseeing his rehabilitation this week, says he should be able to join up with the rest of the squad, who were due to return home today.

“He’s been doing well and he’ll almost certainly be able to train with the lads when they are back,” Greenley confirmed. “I don’t think they are training tomorrow but he should be able to take part on Monday.

“He just had a tightness through the top of his groin, but it’s settling down well and there’s been no problems.

“I wouldn’t have thought he will be involved at Stafford on Saturday (in Town’s first pre-season friendly) though, I’d prefer he completed a few training sessions before he played and that would certainly be the norm.”

Meanwhile, new recruit Richard Walker insists he will be taking nothing for granted in his pursuit of a first-team shirt at Shrewsbury.

Many supporters believe Walker and fellow summer signing and record purchase Grant Holt will leap to the top of the attacking pecking order in the race to secure a shirt for the season-opener against Macclesfield on August 9.

But the 30-year-old Birmingham-born frontman is aware he will have to catch the eye throughout pre-season to force himself into the plans of boss Paul Simpson.

“There are a lot of good strikers here,” said the 30-year-old,, who has set himself a minimum target of 20 goals after signing on a season long loan from Bristol Rovers.

By Chris Hudson