Shrewsbury Town urged to keep top duo
Dominic Smith has urged Shrewsbury Town to keep hold of defensive cohort Nathaniel Knight-Percival – and reckons goalkeeper Callum Burton can be No 1.
Knight-Percival and Burton are two of Town's 17 players out-of-contract this summer.
Boss Micky Mellon has dropped a strong hint that his main priority is to improve the defence, with 91 goals conceded in all competitions.
But Knight-Percival was their captain and most impressive performer at the back and Smith reckons Town should do all they can to keep the 29-year-old.
Smith said: "I think he's a great skipper – a leader, and that's what we need in League One.
"We just need that one leader to step up, and that's Natty. He gives 100 per cent in every game and to have the likes of him in our team is a bonus.
"He's a good player as well who chips in with his fair share of goals as well – he scored the goal of the season at Blackpool.
"It shows that he can score as well as defend, so it's brilliant to have that as a defender.
"By the end of the season we all gelled together and it was nice to have that bit of experience Natty and Zak (Whitbread) provided, plus Jack Hendry as well."
Burton, 19, made his debut in the last-day 3-0 defeat at Swindon and the former England Under-18s international has been linked with Wolves, Aston Villa, Burnley and Rangers.
Town have senior goalkeepers Jayson Leutwiler and Mark Halstead out-of-contract, but Smith reckons Burton can step up.
He said: "I think this is the first of many games for him here – he'll push on a couple of levels now. He's got his first game and he wants many more.
"One hundred per cent he's ready (to be a League One regular). He's a great shot-stopper and he's nice and calm and collected as well.
"We saw on Sunday in the way he came to punch from corners, he's brave and he's not scared to do it either, despite his age.
"'Cal is an excellent keeper who's played for England at age group level and I see him practicing all the time – his kicks, coming for crosses with me – everything.
"You see him improving every day and it showed on Sunday. He's my best mate as well so I've got to give him some praise!
"We were in the same dormitory in the youth team and when we were older, Shaun (Rowley) and Kaiman (Anderson) were with us.
"It's nice to have that bond on the pitch. Connor (Goldson) and 'Woodsy' (Ryan Woods) had that."
