Defensive recruit Dean Holden has identified midfielder Paul Murray as one of the key factors behind his move to Shrewsbury Town.

The former Oldham and Peterborough right-back has returned to England after spending two seasons with Falkirk in the Scottish Premier League.

Holden cut short a family holiday to Newquay, Cornwall, by two days to finalise the move before Town returned to pre-season training.

And he revealed Murray, who was a team-mate of Holden’s at Oldham, had helped convinced the Manchester-born defender where his future lay.

“It was an interesting 6am in the morning 300-mile drive from Newquay to Shrewsbury for my medical and to have a look around on the Friday,” he said.

“But I made my mind up before I got there I was signing because I’m good mates with Paul.

“I spoke to him through last season and I could just see by talking to him week-in-week-out after games, he was the happiest I’d seen him in the last few years.

“He enjoyed last season so much and spoke about the way the gaffer treated his players so my mind was made up.”

Holden, who also had a brief spell on loan at Icelandic club Valur in 2001, is thrilled to be back in England – but admitted he enjoyed his time north of the border.

“I decided after last Christmas I wanted another crack at English football and I was keen to get back into the intensity of Saturday-Tuesday football,” he said.

“But I had really good times at Falkirk and nothing but good things to say about the people there.

“It’s a funny system because one minute you are playing against Inverness in front of 2-3,000 fans and the next you are going to Ibrox and Celtic Park in front of 60,000.

“I would say it’s probably the four English divisions in one

“Rangers and Celtic, would be comfortable playing in the Premiership. Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen on their day would maybe make the Championship.

“And then they filter away and Dundee United, Falkirk, St Mirren are maybe League One, League Two level.

“It’s a funny system but it works for them.”