Hibbert heads off to Peterborough
Tuesday 18th May 2010, 12:53PM BST.
Top scorer Dave Hibbert today waved a fond farewell to Shrewsbury Town – revealing the chance of League One football was too good to resist.
Hibbert, who swept the board in Town’s player-of-the-season awards, completed the formalities on a three-year contract at Peterborough late yesterday afternoon.
It brings to an end Hibbert’s three-year-stay with the club, during which time he has scored 30 times in 86 starts in all competitions.
His most productive season proved to be his last with Hibbert’s 15-goal return providing a glimmer of light in a below-par campaign.
And the striker — who is due to become a father for the first time this summer — has admitted he leaves Shrewsbury with a heavy heart.
Contract extension
“It was a tough decision because I’ve loved Shrewsbury and we have only recently moved to Market Drayton,” said Hibbert, who had been offered a contract extension at Town.
“But it was too good an opportunity for me to turn down and the chance to play at the higher level was the decisive factor in the end.
“I have had a fantastic time at Shrewsbury. There are some great people there and it’s just disappointing it didn’t work out for us last season.
“The club will stay very close to my heart and I hope it gets success in the future.”
Hibbert revealed uncertainty over the identity of the new manager at Shrewsbury played a factor in his thinking.
“I was given a deadline of last Friday for my contract offer from Peterborough so it would have been very difficult for me to sign a new contract at Shrewsbury without knowing who the new manager was,” added the 24-year-old.
Hibbert’s exit comes with Town continuing their hunt for a new boss.
Graham Turner, Paul Sturrock, Mark Venus and Jim Gannon have all been connected with the job.
Former Tottenham defender Justin Edinburgh, who guided Rushden & Diamonds to the Blue Square Premier play-offs, has also been linked in the national media.
Shrewsbury’s Board revealed yesterday they have begun the process of drawing up a short list after receiving more than 40 applications.
By JAMES GARRISON
UK Sport
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
Entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Has anyone at the club noticed we haven’t got a manager? Why is it taking so long?
Report abuse
Don’t PANIC Mr. Mainwaring, don’t PANIC!
We’re waiting the right appointment. Still 3 months until the season starts.
Report abuse
Thanks for keeping us in the league this season Hibbo, all the best..
Report abuse
The board seem to be missing the boat, we need a manager to start signing some of the reasonable players that are being released by other clubs, by the time we do get a manager, they will all have signed for other clubs and the new Manager will be stuck with the squad he has got or be forced to buy players, which the board may or may not sanction.
Mr Wycherly please take note we need a GOOD manager sooner rather than later
Report abuse
Yes, while the search for a manager is a very important factor and crucial for next season we’ll be lucky if there’s any half decent strikers left to sign at this rate…after all wasn’t that Simpsons issue all this season just gone, every time he made contact with a club for one they’d either just signed for another club or he couldn’t find one at all.
Maybe were suffering from a credibility crisis here, and although 40 applicants for the managers post might be attractive to someone is watching the Shrews next season going to be equally attractive if we can’t secure a top goal scorer.
We let Constable go to Oxford are they’re up, we let Holt go to Norwich and a similar story and now Hibbert to Peterboorough.
It’s all very well that the board might think a managers worth waiting for, but what’s the point of securing decent players one moment if the next we just can’t make the right decisions and make more effort to hold onto them.
How many more years in what is after all the basement division.
I’m a true fan who’s just a little fed up with inconsistencies throughout certain areas of this club.
Let’s see if we can stop Constable scoring against us next season.
Report abuse
calm down dear….
a manager will be appointed within the next year -_-
Report abuse
Why do the words “rats” & “sinking ship” spring to mind?
Report abuse
all our best players leave ,no wonder we are rubbish now
Report abuse
Excellent news. Let’s hope Hibbert can help improve posh’s fortunes next season.
Report abuse
No pressure on Tom Bradshaw then..
Report abuse
why all the delay,in appointing simpsons successor has roland put the club up for sale and is allowing the new comsortium to appoint the new manager in october. i think we should be told. nice for the new manager to join a squad of 8, i assume we are reliant on youth and , groundsmen and casuals until then
Report abuse
If all the rumours are to believed, they are waiting for Turner to sell his shares in Hereford ! Cant do anything until they have been sold. As for Hibbo, we didnt let him go, he choose to leave ! He admitted Town offered him a very good deal. He has had one pretty good year in 3 ! If he scores 15 goals in Div 3 with Peterborough ill be amazed.
With him going, Murray, Coughlan etc, Town now have some big wage earners off the books, just need to make sure we don’t leave the new signings to late and end up with panic buys like Elder !
I don’t really mind who is manager, but what we are deperate for is a good coach !
Report abuse