Shrewsbury Town's Josh Laurent growing up on and off the pitch

Laurent has impressed this term since joining from Wigan Athletic last summer for an undisclosed fee.

While Town have struggled on the pitch as they battle to survive in League One, the 23-year-old has been a shining light under both John Askey and Sam Ricketts.

But it is not anything from Asia driving him on – his big motivation is 10-month-old daughter India.

"I think it's grown me up off the pitch and I've grown up a lot on the pitch," said Laurent, who penned a two-year deal with Town.

"I'm not going out playing games now, my little girl is at home, I've got something to fight for.

"It gives you that little bit extra. When we lose I go home and take it with me, I don't like my little one seeing that.

"So winning is a big part of what I have to do and a big part of football.

"It's big a big growing up stage of my life. It's been massive for me."

Laurent spent much of last season on loan at Bury, making 22 appearances and scoring one goal.

But he and his partner relocated to Shropshire after he left Wigan in the first significant transfer of his career.

Home life

And the London-born midfielder admits a settled home life is helping him produce on the pitch.

"I look back a year and I think I'm a completely different person," he added.

"Even little things like sleep! You treasure it now, it's hard to come by!

"You just adapt in life. Before I used to come home from training and just sit on my sofa, play PlayStation with my mates and just fall asleep.

"Now I come home and it's like a second job, I've got to do something else, keep her occupied, play with her.

"I am enjoying it and it has been nice but it's grown me up on the pitch as well.

"When I come into football every day around other people, I've never been able to relate to other people.

"Obviously at clubs a lot of players have family of their own and now it's nice to be able to get involved in that conversation.

"My missus is quite good at the night shifts! At the start I just used to close my eyes.

"But now she knows, she tells me to go to sleep in the spare room and she deals with it. She's helped me out massively with that."