Shrewsbury Town star lifts lid on ‘mad’ contract dispute before summer move

The former Newcastle United youngster joined Salop on a free transfer in early July, following a disagreement with former club Halifax Town over an extension option in his contract.

Reports said Halifax triggered the option 25 days after Turner-Cooke’s contract had expired on May 5.

The situation became more complicated when the Football Association accepted the extension, leaving the midfielder unpaid for May and June and seemingly unable to move. He eventually joined Shrewsbury on July 4.

Asked about the saga, Turner-Cooke told the Shropshire Star: “It was a mad one, really.

“I was actually on holiday when that happened - when I got my first phone call from my agent saying: ‘We still haven’t heard anything from the club’.

“My contract had finished. I don’t even know the details myself, I just know it was a long process, and we hadn’t heard anything for ages.

“It was a long process, and hard for me, because obviously I just wanted something to get sorted. Was staying there, was I leaving?

“I had a lot of interest from clubs, and I just wanted it to get resolved. So yeah, it was long and frustrating, but thankfully it got sorted.

“Now I’m here and I’m really happy, that’s the most important thing.”

Turner-Cooke was not the only Halifax player caught up in a contract extension dispute this summer, with striker Will Harris also subject to an option before eventually signing for Hartlepool United.

Released by Newcastle in summer last year, Turner-Cooke joined Halifax as a free agent 74 days later.

He went on to score four goals and provide seven assists in 41 appearances for the Shaymen, performances which caught the eye of Town boss Gavin Cowan, who has described the midfielder as a “hyper talent”.

The 22-year-old has featured regularly for Salop this season, missing just one of their League Two fixtures before being suspended following his red card in the home win over Bristol Rovers.

Having initially had to be patient for his opportunity, Turner-Cooke worked his way into the side and enjoyed a run of starts.

And after settling into life at Shrewsbury, the midfielder revealed the move was one he found difficult to turn down.

Turner-Cooke added: “Everyone’s thinking: ‘Oh, he’s just going to say it.’ But genuinely, when I heard Shrewsbury, I said to my agent: ‘Yeah, that is something I’m really, really interested in.’

“As soon as I met with the gaffer at the stadium, I walked out of the meeting and it was me, my agent, my brother, and I said I was not signing anywhere else, I couldn’t.

“It took again a couple of weeks to get it sorted, because still things weren’t sorted somehow. And then eventually when I got here and I signed, yeah, I was buzzing. I couldn’t wait to start.”