Ben Herd has admitted he would have struggled to have located Shrewsbury on a map when he signed for Town in 2005.

Four years on and the full-back insists the club will always retain a place in his heart as his Town career comes to a halt.

Herd was one of seven players released by manager Paul Simpson in the post-Wembley cull.

And he admitted he had retained a glimmer of hope that a new deal would be offered, despite playing second fiddle to Darren Moss for much of the campaign.

“I suppose most people would say it was inevitable because I haven’t played much but we were talking about a contract at the end of last year so there was always a bit of hope,” he said.

“Then the contract talks were put on hold until the end of the season and recently it’s been a slow death.

“It’s like having one of your family in hospital with a major illness. You know they are going to die sometime but it’s still sad when it happens.”

Despite a frustrating final campaign at the Prostar Stadium, Baschurch-based Herd has vowed to look back on his time at Shrewsbury with fond memories.

“I’ve loved playing for the club,” he added. “I have to admit when I first signed, the only thing I knew about Shrewsbury was that it was near Lilleshall.

“I could have gone to Bournemouth at the time but Gary Peters sold the club to me and I’m really glad I joined because it’s a great club and I’ve made a lot of good friends.”

Herd, who turns 24 next month, has insisted he is confident he can remain in the Football League as he begins his search for a new club.

“The phone has already rung a couple of times so we will see what happens,” he added. “I’m confident in my ability. But it’s on the merry-go-round for me now.

“There’s going to be a lot of footballers out of contract this summer so it could take a while for everything to be resolved.”

By StarSport’s JAMES GARRISON