Shropshire Star

It’s sofa so good for Luke Hendrie at Shrewsbury Town

When Luke Hendrie is not assembling sofas and beds, he is studying his performances in search of perfection.

Published

Shortly into the first major move of his adult life, the full-back has begun to catch the eye in blue and amber.

Hendrie is a pedant for learning from previous displays and, after winning a place in Paul Hurst’s Shrewsbury team, is determined to keep impressing – beginning at Scunthorpe tomorrow.

“I live in Shrewsbury. I’ve been enjoying it. My girlfriend’s moved as well. We’re loving the area,” said the former Burnley and Bradford man.

“It’s the first time I’ve rented a place, you’ve got to get sofas and beds and put them together. Everything’s done now so I can concentrate on doing my job.”

The 23-year-old’s Town career is just five games old but Hendrie has won plaudits when coming in for the also impressive James Bolton.

Yorkshireman Hendrie revealed he studies video replays of matches to look for inspiration and improvement.

“I think you learn, it’s the best way to learn,” he added.

“To take little points, positives and negatives that you get from it to try and improve in training and games.

“It’s good to see the team performance; support on the ball, body shapes. It’s good to analyse.

“When I was younger coaches would say watch the game back but I used to hate it. I always used to feel like I was beating myself up. Now I’m older with a more mature look at it.

“You can watch the video when home on Monday and on Tuesday you might have conversations with people about incidents.”

Hendrie is enjoying repaying the faith showed in him by Hurst. He came in after Bolton suffered an injury early on in the stunning win at Charlton three weeks ago and has not looked back.

“Definitely, it’s about me taking the chance,” he continued.

“I feel I’ve done well in games I’ve played. I’ve been in to see the manager and he’s told me he’s been happy with me.

“The team has been doing well, which is the main thing.

“I’m not one of those that will sit and sulk. I want the team to do well, that’s what it’s about.

“I had to wait patiently for my turn and hopefully I can repay the manager’s faith in me.”

The January signing added: “It was a weird conversation (with Hurst) really. I’d been left out a couple of times which was a frustrating time for me because you want to hit the ground running when you join a new club.

“He just said ‘I know it sounds silly but I’m really happy with you’.

“That was refreshing. I just had to work hard in training to try to improve my weaknesses and be ready for my chance, to not let it pass you by.”

Hurst added praise for his newest full-back.

“He gets forward and his distribution is very good,” he said. “He picks a pass as well as any full-back we’ve got. He plays a simple pass – it’s amazing how many people can’t do that or don’t see it.”

Hendrie has, typically, done his homework on tomorrow’s fifth-placed hosts Scunthorpe and is relishing the challenge.

“They’re quite a physical team,” he said. “Two strikers up front and not afraid to get it long. They’ve got good midfielders too in (Josh) Morris and Duane Holmes.

“We’re aware of their threats.”