Shrewsbury Town keeper Callum Burton primed for first-team action
Rising Shrewsbury keeper Callum Burton has been told he will be playing first-team football next season.
The 19-year-old signed a new two-year contract on Thursday to follow first-choice shot-stopper Jayson Leutwiler in staying at the Greenhous Meadow.
Assistant boss Mike Jackson admits the club's other senior keeper, out-of-contract Mark Halstead, now has a tough decision to make on whether to stay.
But he insists Burton, who played with the likes of Dele Ali for England Under-18s and made his Town debut on the last day of the season at Swindon, will get senior action next term – at Shrewsbury or elsewhere – after he was linked with Aston Villa, Wolves, Burnley and Rangers in the spring.
"We all know Callum needs to be playing games now," Jackson told ShrewsWeb. "He's been thinking about that. He's still a young kid so we'll be putting a plan for him to move forward to try to get him some game-time whether it be going out on loan or challenging here.
"What we want is him challenging the other two keepers, so we'll have a plan for him moving forward. We don't want to be messing around with people's careers as he's a really good, talented young goalkeeper."
Burton was one of three goalkeepers Town used last season, while Shaun Rowley is also under contract.
Jackson admits 25-year-old Halstead, who made 16 League appearances last season and on two occasions kept Leutwiler out of the team only to succumb to injury, has a dilemma on his hands. And he says the former Blackpool reserve will be given time to make his mind up.
"Mark will be looking to see what he needs to do for his career moving forwards," said the Town No.2.
"Does he need to be an out-and-out No.1 or is he willing to challenge and fight to be a No.1?
"That's all something the lad has to think about. They're not easy decisions. If it takes a bit of time, then so be it."
