Quiet life is key to Shaun Whalley's Shrewsbury Town stay

The Salop hero, who this week triggered an option to extend his Town stay into a seventh season, has said he did not truly appreciate and concentrate on his football career until switching to Shropshire in 2015.

Since then the winger, 33, had his first child, son Jude, and has clocked up more than 230 games for the club and 35 goals.

Whalley said: “I feel a similar player but it’s more off the pitch I’ve improved so much, from the start of my Shrewsbury career.

“The way my career has panned out is proof if you are good off the pitch then you’ll be good on the pitch.

“It’s obviously the highest level I’ve played at, but I feel I’ve always been a similar type of player. You can’t produce on the pitch if you aren’t off the pitch.

“I don’t feel like it (slowing down) myself. I still feel the same player. I had one injury this year, for six league games at the start, but apart from that – touch wood – I feel as fit as ever.”

“I’m looking forward to a good summer and season next season now.

Former Accrington Stanley and Luton man Whalley has also been coaching Town’s under-18s as he completes his coaching badges.

And Whalley hopes that seven seasons in blue and amber have proven his quality after former boss Micky Mellon took a ‘shot’.

“It’s just happened,” Whalley said of his Salop career. “Maybe when I first came in people didn’t think I was any good. I don’t know. Maybe it was a shock.

“Micky Mellon took a shot on me and I think I’ve proved over my time, with the amount of goals and assists that I’ve got, that I was a good free transfer.

“It seems to have been a perfect fit for me. I settled down off the pitch from the moment that I came to Shrewsbury and that’s helped massively. I’m still like that now.

“I’m going to keep giving my all for Shrewsbury like I always do.”