New defender Ian Sharps has outlined Shrewsbury Town’s ‘massive potential’ as the major attraction towards his decision to move to the Greenhous Meadow.

The 29-year-old stopper has left last season’s losing play-off finalists Rotherham to launch what he hopes will be a renewed attempt for promotion with Shrewsbury.

Sharps will get the chance to meet his new team-mates for the first time tomorrow when Shrewsbury return to pre-season training.

But Graham Turner’s first signing is already excited at the season which lies ahead.

“I’m made up to have moved here,” said Sharps who is looking to move to Shrewsbury with his family.

“There are were a lot of factors that came into consideration. Only time will tell but I’m convinced I have made the right move.

“There is an ambitious manager, a very ambitious chairman, a decent set of players already here and hopefully more to come in as well.

“The training ground and the ground itself are both fantastic.

“At Rotherham we almost used to look forward to away games more to get a better atmosphere because the crowds at the Don Valley Stadium were so far from the pitch.

“But I’m really excited about the home games at Shrewsbury. Whenever I’ve played there, the crowds have been really good.”

Wembley

Sharps is looking to bounce back from the disappointment of Rotherham’s 3-2 defeat to Dagenham at Wembley in the play-off final in May, a day when Sharps captained the Yorkshire club.

“That was both the best and worst day of my life but you have to put the defeat behind you now,” he added.

“It has been said that Shrewsbury under-achieved last season so hopefully both myself and the club can go a lot better.

“There is massive potential here. I spoke to Mike Jackson (coach) who I played about 100 games with at Tranmere and he told me just what a good club it was to be at.”

By JAMES GARRISON