Shropshire Star

Sam Ricketts: Fans absence will hit Shrewsbury in transfer market

Sam Ricketts has warned that the continued absence of supporters will have an impact on Shrewsbury Town’s movements in the transfer window.

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Town head to Devon today in preparation for their third League One match of the campaign at newly-promoted outfit Plymouth Argyle.

The Home Park contest will go ahead despite two members of Argyle’s ranks – one player and one staff member – testing positive for Covid-19 this week. The duo are now self isolating.

The fixture will go ahead behind closed doors without fans as lower-league clubs were dealt a blow in the delayed return of supporters this week – a factor Ricketts admitted will affect Town’s business until the October 16 deadline.

The manager said: “It impacts hugely on every football club and therefore you are limited in what you can spend, unless you want to put the club in peril which we don’t.

“It’s a fantastically run club, but it certainly has an affect.

“Every club budgets for a certain amount of supporters every year, normally it’s how many you can get in your stadium and how many season tickets (you sell). This year was similar – but it was about getting 1,000 in last week and then next week we can open four stands to get 3,000 in.

“That would’ve helped the club hugely, but then it all gets knocked back.

“It definitely has an impact for us. Does it have an impact for all clubs? I don’t know. Everyone’s different.

“Some other owners or backers might throw money at the problem or take out loans or gamble, but that’s not what we do.

“We’re self-sustaining which is the best and only way to be, so obviously it has an impact with us and I’m sure it will with some clubs and not others.”

Town are understood to be looking at bolstering their squad with attacking quality before next month’s deadline.

Numbers are thin on the ground in light of early-season misfortune with injury.

Defender Ryan Sears is waiting on results from an MRI scan with fears of possible ankle ligament damage after an x-ray came back all clear.

There are doubts over midfielder Brad Walker (knee) and Ethan Ebanks-Landell (eye) ahead of tomorrow’s clash in Plymouth.

The trio join Sean Goss, Josh Daniels, Rekeil Pyke and Dave Edwards, who are all struggling with injuries.

Shrews’ latest recruit, loan winger Shilow Tracey from Tottenham, is yet to train with his new side despite signing seven days ago as the club await clearance. He is thought to be unavailable this weekend.

Shrewsbury are boosted by the return of club captain Ollie Norburn, who made his comeback at half-time in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday and could feature from the off if Walker is not fit.

Ricketts’ squad will stay over on the south coast tonight ahead of the fixture against the side managed by former Town striker Ryan Lowe, who played 194 games for Salop between 2000 and 2005.