Omar Beckles will be missed on and off the pitch by Shrewsbury Town

The defender will moving on to pastures new after turning down a new deal at Montgomery Waters Meadow at the end of three years as a superb Shrewsbury professional.

One interview, after he signed from Accrington Stanley in August 2017, was all it took to see his purpose went beyond what happened on the pitch.

For a central defender who played 126 games across three seasons, Beckles was unfortunate never to get a true run of games in the heart of the Town backline.

Beckles went above-and-beyond with work in the community, but to write off his exploits in the pitch would be grossly unfair.

He journey in blue and amber has been intriguing and he will, perhaps, be left with a tinge of frustration at not being afforded a regular role at the heart of defence.

He was, perhaps, victim of his own success in his first season under Paul Hurst. Arriving for quite a hefty fee, penning a three-year deal, there was expectation on the Londoner’s shoulders.

He could not quite displace Toto Nsiala and Mat Sadler and when Junior Brown injured his ACL in October, Beckles came to the rescue.

Despite, as he would openly admit, not being the most confident on his left foot, many fans would begin to believe the towering stopper was left-footed as he put in a series of consistent displays in an unfamiliar role. And when natural left-back Max Lowe arrived on loan from Derby in January, Beckles held on to his position.

Playing out of position for almost the entire season for a side that overcame the odds to finish third and reach the play-off final, the defender deserved his place in the League One team of the season.

To leave a legacy at a football club in three years is difficult. Almost impossible for a defender who was often shunted out of position.

The 28-year-old Beckles, who will surely have offers to stay in League One,and will be a fine servant wherever he decides to move, gave everything to life in Shropshire and is rightfully receiving the fanfare he deserves from supporters on social media.

He quickly made the area his home, moving with his girlfriend who became his wife during his time at the club. The duo also became parents.

Beckles quickly came across as a thought-evoking character, immensely grateful for what he has. He is at one with his faith and a passionate student of mental health and wellbeing.

Tragedy struck when he lost musician and pastor Linton, his father, to pneumonia aged just 59 in 2015. Beckles, who avoided the distractions a London upbringing brings, quickly decided he wanted to make a difference.

Aged just 26 when he joined Salop, he knuckled down to put plans in place and launched the Hub365 Foundation, in memory of his father who died in 2015.

Beckles went above and beyond his duties at Town, mixing in the community at every opportunity, giving seminars and talks to schools, religious groups and many others on the importance of looking after your mental wellbeing

He will have affected many, young and old, and will continue to do so wherever he moves next. He was an important patron of the club’s community arm and his absence will be felt. Some things are more important than football, and the message Beckles carried was exactly that.