Shrewsbury Town handed double boost
Shrewsbury Town have been handed a boost as loanee duo Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Jack Grimmer have both hinted they could make their stay permanent.
The pair checked in to Greenhous Meadow on transfer deadline day and boss Micky Mellon wasted no time in handed them starts three days later at Oldham Athletic.
Ebanks-Blake, 30, has signed on-loan until January while Grimmer will remain with Shrewsbury for the remainder of the 2016/17 season.
But both passed hints that they could settle down with the club on a long-term basis.
Two-time Championship golden boot winner Ebanks-Blake, who played just short of an hour on his debut at Oldham, said: "The plan is for everything to go well and then hopefully I can stay for longer - but one step at a time.
"First and foremost I've got to work hard to stay in the team.
"It's not all just set out in front of me. I don't believe I'm coming here to go straight into the team and stay there, that's never the case anywhere you go.
"I've come here with the mindset to work hard, get in the team, stay in the team and show what I'm best at.
"I hope it's all set here to settle down similarly to how it was at Wolves, that'd be nice. But we'll see."
Popular defender Grimmer is embarking on his third loan spell in Shropshire after previously establishing him as a firm fans' favourite.
The 22-year-old Scot endured an injury-hit pre-season that halted his aspirations of breaking into Fulham's first-team squad.
His contract in West London is up next summer.
But after admitting his love for the Shrewsbury area, Grimmer – who featured at both right centre-back and right-back at Oldham – could not help but reveal he sees a future with Salop.
"Yes I would be open to staying here when my deal's up," said Grimmer.
"People asked last season would I be open to coming back and I was open to anything.
"I find myself back here again and the way football is you can never say no.
"I've made no secret of the fact that I'm a big fan of his (Mellon). The way that he manages his teams and his man-management skills is a big factor to the players that he gets."
