New winger Alex Rodman aiming for the fairway with Shrewsbury Town

Shrewsbury Town's latest addition was a golfing prodigy as a teen and, if things had gone his way, would have been off to the top American colleges,

The 29-year-old, who agreed an 18-month deal at Greenhous Meadow yesterday, played of a scratch of three when he was 17.

He had left Aston Villa's academy before his Youth Training Scheme (YTS) to pursue a career on the fairway.

It wasn't to be. Despite his impressive scratch, the top colleges wanted more and the man from Sutton Coldfield went off to study business in Nottingham instead.

Fast-forward 11 years and he becomes Paul Hurst's second Shrewsbury Town signing. The pair are familiar, having spent a year together at Grimsby Town.

Indeed, Rodman was due a round of golf with Shrews No.2 and ex-team-mate Chris Doig shortly before the assistant pitched up in Shropshire.

He spent time at non-league Tamworth while finding his feet. But his form during the 2008/09 season, where the Lambs were Conference North champions, wasn't to be ignored and the winger's career took off.

"It was a weird way back into professional football but I didn't start taking it seriously until my last year of university," said Rodman, from Solihull.

"I was playing part-time with Tamworth in the Conference North and we won it, my first year out of Uni was in the Conference Premier with them.

"I had quite a few professional offers then and thought 'what am I going to do?' So I got my head down and worked hard and came into the league from there. I got the golf bug at 14 and I didn't want to know football.

"I didn't kick a ball for a couple of years and was applying for American colleges but, while three was good, it wasn't good enough for the top ranked colleges, which is what I wanted."

A League Two offer from Aldershot in 2011 was the route into a professional career.

Two years there were followed by a season at Grimsby (under Hurst), Gateshead and Newport County.

Rodman, a direct, skilful and athletic winger, impressed wherever he went and was successful at all four clubs. A move to Notts County in the summer of 2016 was his fourth home in three years.

With the very public off-field trouble at Meadow Lane, Rodman – who had been struggling with two months out due to injury – signed an 18-month deal with Salop.

"I definitely see it as a permanent base. I'm looking to move to the area, I haven't been to Shrewsbury much but from what I've heard it's a lovely place," added the two-time England C international.

"I'm looking at this permanently and hopefully extend it further and we're successful in that period.

"I've always had hope (of playing in League One), I've had quite a few big moves fall through with injuries and illnesses before and you always begin to question after the third, fourth and fifth fall through whether it's meant to be.

"I'm still a way off where I'd like to be. I pride myself as being one of the fittest at my club, but I'm some way off and the gaffer and Doigy know that."

But now they have been re-united, there'll be plenty of chance for that round of golf.