Shrewsbury Town hopefuls wait for D-day

Academy manager and first-team coach David Longwell revealed he has spoken with Town’s under-18s squad about impending decisions.

Scot Longwell admitted the period is never an easy one for academy staff or players, with several youngsters to learn they will depart the club.

“We’ll do that in the next week or so, it’s always difficult, you can’t take everybody,” Longwell said.

“If you’re being sentimental all the time then you want to sign all of them.

“We’ve got some really good kids in the second year, as young men and as players.

“I’ve spoken to them already as a group to say ‘look, these decisions are coming’ and then you’ve got to look at what is the pathway for each of them?

“Some unfortunately will have to move and play elsewhere, some we’ll keep because we maybe see potential there, but it’s never an easy time for them.

“It’s not easy for the staff either, guys you build relationships with and then you have to let them go, but it’s all part and parcel of football.”

Town took exciting forward prospect Tom Bloxham on a first professional contract last June, likewise Charlie Caton, both of which had already featured and made their mark with the first-team squad.

Others were released and it is again the discrepancy of Longwell and his coaching staff on who is given an opportunity to potentially progress with the first team.

Town’s under-18s have enjoyed a decent campaign in the Youth Alliance Northwest division. They are fifth after 21 games.

One youngster looking likely to make the step up is defender Kade Craig, a 19-year-old former Birmingham City defender who joined the club last summer.

Craig is yet to make his senior bow but has been a regular on Steve Cotterill’s substitute bench this season. The left-back, who also plays left centre-half, trains with the first team alongside some of his under-18 colleagues.

“Kade is a boy who was released elsewhere and came in pre-season with the academy and shown some good attributes.

“We brought him up to train and he’s done well, he’s got a great attitude, worked really hard,” Longwell said. “He’s somebody we feel should be around the group. Maybe not ready for the first team, but around the group to help his development, because the development you get up here (with the first-team squad) is insurmountable with the manager and players here.”