How the stats show Luca Hoole was among Shrewsbury Town’s standout performers

If there was one indication of how highly Luca Hoole's season was regarded, it was the number of awards he collected at Shrewsbury Town's end-of-season presentation evening.

Hoole is here to stay after agreeing a new two-year deal with Salop - a major boost for the club given the impressive campaign he enjoyed and a decision warmly welcomed by supporters.

A loose pass that led to a late Gillingham goal in the final game of the season, on his return from a lengthy injury lay-off, was a cruel way for Hoole's campaign to end.

But the defender played a key role in Town's successful fight for survival, helping the side remain resilient and pick up crucial victories.

The 23-year-old swept up the major honours at the club's end-of-season awards, being named both Supporters' Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season.

He also collected awards from the Away Travel Club, the Super Blues, Sovereign Club members and the Female Focus Group.

The statistics from his campaign further underline just how important he was to Shrewsbury and why securing his future is such a significant piece of business. Town will now hope he can carry that form into next season as they look to improve on last year's 19th-place finish in League Two.

Hoole featured in 34 League Two matches. Prior to suffering an injury against Walsall in late February, he had missed just two league games, remaining an unused substitute in both.

Defensively, his numbers were impressive. Hoole recorded 244 defensive contributions, including 28 interceptions, 15 blocked shots and 102 recoveries. He was dribbled past only nine times all season and helped Town keep eight clean sheets.

He ranked second among Shrewsbury players for tackles won, making 82 - just four fewer than Taylor Perry despite playing almost 600 fewer minutes.

His success rate in ground duels was also strong. Hoole won 110 of the 187 he contested, a success rate of 58.8 per cent.

His aerial numbers were similarly impressive, winning 95 of 161 aerial duels - a success rate of 59 per cent.

Comfortable in possession and capable of playing out from the back, Hoole also completed 532 passes at a success rate of 62.4 per cent.

Meanwhile, 32 of his 64 attempted dribbles were successful, highlighting his willingness to carry the ball forward from defence.

Numbers do not always tell the whole story, and some supporters will place little value on statistics. Yet in Hoole's case, both the data and the recognition he received point to the same conclusion.

He was one of Shrewsbury's most influential players during a challenging season, earning the admiration of supporters and the respect of his team-mates.

With his future now secured, Town will hope the defender can continue to develop, improve and reach even greater heights as he enters his third season at the Croud Meadow.