Fish and chips and red wine for 'proper Salop monner' - Shrewsbury Town messages for Roland Wycherley

Shrewsbury boss Gavin Cowan and home county favourites have joined in the tributes for former club chairman Roland Wycherley following his departure.

A takeover led by American businessman Scott Davidson saw his Biscayne ST LLC purchase the Croud Meadow club from Wycherley, 85, with a deal formally completed and confirmed on Monday.

It ended boyhood Shrewsbury fan Wycherley 30-year reign, which saw him finish as the Football League’s longest-serving and oldest owner.

Town boss and former defender Cowan represented the club as both player and manager under Wycherley and thanked the Castlefields-born businessman for the personal and professional opportunities - adding ‘fish and chip Friday’ and a glass of red wine are traditions he hopes to continue.

“Mr chairman I just want to say congratulations on an incredible, unprecedented 30 years at our football club,” said Cowan, whose Town sign host Oldham in League Two on Saturday in what is expected to be a boosted attendance to welcome the new ownership.

“I know I speak on behalf of myself and many ex-players saying thank you, we are totally in debt to the opportunities you have given us.

“You’ve given the supporters so many days, nights and even seasons to remember.

“From when I first joined the club to where it is now is truly remarkable, what you have built.

“On behalf of myself personally and professionally, thank you for the opportunity to extend my professional footballing career and now the opportunity to be part of the club as a professional football manager.

“You have given me those opportunities and I’m here now in the county with my wife, my children, my business and the opportunity to be back at our wonderful club.

“I’ve loved rubbing shoulders with you, our fish and chips on a Friday, your brilliant sense of humour and many a glass of red wine after the game, which I will continue to do with you.

“Thank you on behalf of everyone at Shrewsbury and I look forward to seeing you about the place.”

Also paying tribute to Wycherley’s three-decade tenure at the helm was the club’s hometown midfielder Jack Price, who described the outgoing chairman as a “proper monner”.

“To play under you has been an absolute honour and your sacrifices over the last 30 years have been absolutely extraordinary,” said former Wolves man Price.

“It wouldn’t be where it is today without you. A proper, proper Salop monner, a true legend.”

Town goalkeeping coach Harry Burgoyne, the former shot-stopper from Ludlow, hailed the way Wycherley committed to player salaries in full during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Burgoyne said: “During Covid, when all these big football club with all the money they’ve got, they weren’t paying their players.

“And you stuck your head out and continued to pay us in full, which is such a commendable thing in such tough times, so thank you very much.”