Nothing showbiz about Shrewsbury loanee Leo Castledine other than a famous family

Mum Lucy Alexander spent more than a decade presenting Homes Under The Hammer, while older sister Kitty is also familiar to millions having spent the past eight months playing Penny Branning in EastEnders.

Yet Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst reckons there is little showbiz about Leo and thinks the playmaker is more than equipped to handle the muck and nettles of League One, in what is his first proper foray into senior football.

“He is ready to fight, to battle and to help the team,” remarked Hurst, who explained the first thing which stuck out about Castledine, when watching him play for Chelsea’s under-21s, was his attitude.

“He has a lot of energy and hard work. That could be what sets him apart,” continued Hurst.

Shrewsbury’s head coach acknowledged those qualities might not usually be the most eye-catching. In professional sport, working hard is the minimum requirement.

Yet he is not the first to compliment Castledine on his commitment. Chelsea legend John Terry, now a youth coach at the club, observed last year how the 19-year-old, who was also on the books of Harlequins Rugby Club before turning attention full-time to football, treats every training session like it is a cup final.

He would appear to have the talent to go with the application. Castledine, who made his senior Chelsea bow as a substitute in January in the Carabao Cup, was nominated for last season’s Premier League Two player of the year prize after scoring 10 goals and setting up seven more.

Hurst was far from alone in having him on his radar and for most of the summer he was a target Town tracked more in hope than expectation.

Championship clubs were understood to be interested and when the Town boss read earlier this month reports Rangers were also in the race, he was ready to admit defeat.

But conversations between the club and the Castledine camp continued. When Stewart, who hosted the BBC series Big Strong Boys and Houses Behaving Badly in his post-playing career, visited Croud Meadow for the match with Peterborough on August 17, he left impressed, despite Town suffering a 4-1 defeat.

“Thankfully, the scoreline did not put him off!” smiled Hurst. “The club really looked after Stewart on the day and that is the type of club it is, we do that well.

“When people actually experience it and witness it for themselves, they understand what we are talking about. That helped.”

Another loan signing, Josh Feeney, also played a role. Feeney is still waiting to make his Town debut since joining from Villa after missing the opening weeks of the season due to injury.

But he was also in the stands for the Peterborough match, is a close friend of Leo through their involvement in the England youth teams and was able to give Stewart his own insight into the club.

“Josh came to watch and was around the tunnel area after the game. He spoke very well of the club,” revealed Hurst. “I wasn’t aware, until that point, he and Leo were close. I don’t think it did any harm, that is for sure. It is always nice when you know someone at a club as well, so that should help him settle.

“It got to the stage where the deadline was closing in and we wanted a decision, thankfully he was ready to come in.”

Castledine trained with his new team-mates for the first time on Monday and was due to make his debut in last night’s Carabao Cup tie against Bolton.

“He is so keen to get going,” continued Hurst. “The fact he has come to us when there has perhaps been other interest, he just wants to play.

“It might sound like everyone wants to play and to a degree they do. But I don’t think he has come in thinking it will be easy.

“He still has to earn the right but I am confident the opportunities will be presented to him.

“He will be the first to understand he then has to take them and contribute. We can’t be in a position where we play people just because we took them on loan. I am sure that won’t be the case. Hopefully, we have a real player on our hands.”