Shrewsbury Town today began their summer recruitment programme for a renewed assault on League Two by signing midfielder Craig Disley.

The 27-year-old has penned a two-year deal at the Prostar Stadium after being released by Bristol Rovers at the end the season.

Disley spent five seasons with Rovers, making more than 200 appearances in all competitions and scoring 31 times from midfield.

He was a regular in the Rovers team which finished 11th in League One last term, but was deemed surplus to requirements by manager Paul Trollope at the end of the campaign.

Disley is understood to have attracted interest from a host of other League Two clubs, including Cheltenham and Hereford.

But it is Shrewsbury who have won the race for his signature. “As soon as I heard that Craig could become available a couple of months ago, I thought he could be a good addition to our squad if I could bring him in,” said manager Paul Simpson.

“He has got good energy, has played a lot of his games higher than League Two and he is capable of scoring goals from midfield.

“He played about 43 or 44 games for Bristol Rovers last season and I think there were quite a few people surprised that they decided to release him – they obviously want a change.”

Disley has played for just two clubs, having began his career with Mansfield where he spent five years and ironically made his League debut against Shrewsbury in 1999.

He helped Mansfield to the play-off final of 2004 where the Stags were beaten by Huddersfield, but was part of the Rovers team which beat Town at Wembley to secure promotion in 2007.

His arrival means Town have four central midfielders definitely signed up – Disley, Paul Murray, Kevin McIntyre and Terry Dunfield.