‘Outstanding’ - Michael Appleton on continuing Shrewsbury captain John Marquis
Head coach Michael Appleton says John Marquis was ‘outstanding’ for him last season with the striker set to continue as Shrewsbury Town captain.
Marquis picked up the armband from Carl Winchester in January after the club consented to a request from the Northern Irishman to terminate his contract in Shropshire so he could return home.
It was a tough campaign for everyone connected with the football club as Shrewsbury dropped out of the third tier.
But Marquis’ goals, of which he scored 11 in the league, proved to be one of the few positives from a difficult campaign.
The former Portsmouth man is set to continue in his position as skipper, with Appleton full of praise for the 33-year-old.
"There's no change,” Appleton said. “I'm more than happy keeping him in that role because he's already shown (his leadership) with this group, which is a very different group from last year.
"There's a lot more vocals, there's a lot more leaders in the group, and that sort of transition for him has probably made it easier."
Marquis played 40 third-tier matches for Town last time out, and he is four matches away from making his 500th career league appearance.
Marquis and Appleton already had a relationship before the Salop head coach joined at the end of March this year.
The pair worked together during their time at Lincoln. And Appleton says he likes players who ‘challenge’ him.
He continued: "Having worked with John before, people in the past have maybe struggled with him a little bit. I actually quite like those players, those players that challenge you a little bit at times.
"Some of the players that I've signed that other managers have maybe struggled with or didn't really want to go down that line. I think John is someone who's brought in massively to what I want to do and how I want to do it."
Shrewsbury lift the curtain on their League Two campaign this weekend when Bromley visit the Croud Meadow.
Salop have seven new faces around the squad after a busy summer in the transfer market. Most of those new faces are likely to be in the squad for the clash against the Ravens, with several set to make debuts.
Town have had a positive pre-season too, after winning four matches, drawing one, with just the solitary defeat at home to Bolton.
