Shrewsbury v Doncaster preview: Conor McAleny has learned a lot from his travels

No, not an eight-fold that will win you stacks of cash this weekend – but instead Conor McAleny’s loan CV, writes Lewis Cox.

The 27-year-old is well travelled given he has only called Everton and Fleetwood his permanent home.

But spells in south Wales and western Scotland, and everywhere in between, have all proven useful in one way or another for the skilful forward.

McAleny, from Prescot in Merseyside, is set to play his fifth game for Shrewsbury since checking in on loan from Fleetwood late last month.

“It is what it is, I’ve been up and down the country. It doesn’t bother me travelling,” McAleny said. “I’ve enjoyed my loans and learned a lot from each.

“I’ve always just dealt with opportunities and gone with the flow.

“It’s another opportunity and more game time. You’ve got to have a positive twist on it and it helps you settle in a bit quicker.”

McAleny – who played twice for Everton as a promising youngster – is yet to score for Sam Ricketts’ strugglers, but some of his loan spells have proved extremely fruitful.

Breaking his Salop duck will go some way to helping goal-shy Shrewsbury out of their winless rut against play-off-chasing Doncaster tomorrow.

McAleny has so far been used on the left of a front three and as a No.10 in the space behind a striker.

He netted four in 13 games on loan at Wigan – including a howitzer in a Meadow thrashing – in the Latics’ 2015/16 title-winning season.

Next came 10 goals in 14 outings for Oxford two seasons ago to convince Fleetwood to make the permanent swoop.

“Yes it has,” McAleny said when asked if it had been tempting to stick with a loan club after a successful spell.

“But one thing led to another and it’s not as simple as that. There’s a lot of clubs I’ve liked, but it hasn’t materialised in the summer or window. I’m enjoying my time here though.”

McAleny’s stunning volley in Wigan’s 5-1 hammering of Micky Mellon’s Town in 2016 was the visitors’ biggest goal of the lot as it drew them level shortly after Sullay Kaikai’s opener.

“I remember it. A chest and volley to equalise,” he said. “It was one of my better strikes, yes. I’m hoping I can pick one of those out tomorrow.

“I’ve never been a big one for the celebrations, but maybe one can come out if I pop one in.”

The tricky forward is no stranger to rattling goals in from distance. He added: “I’ve not had a few tap-ins. I’m due a goal anyway but a nice long-range one would go down a treat. There has been a few.

“I’m never short of a few shots and I’m just waiting for one to go in.”

Asked if the floodgates will open once he gets one, he replied: “I’m hoping so.”

Town’s best two efforts on goal in the 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth last week were from McAleny’s right boot.

Ricketts will expect his side to cause Rovers more problems than they did in the reverse clash in early January, where Town failed to register a shot on target in a forgettable 2-0 reverse at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Doncaster, managed by former West Brom boss Darren Moore, were busy late in the January window, adding ex-Fleetwood man Devante Cole, as well as Town man Fejiri Okenabirhie – who is suspended for tomorrow – to their ranks.