Shrewsbury Town takeover: Fan groups welcome ‘positive step’ but questions remain

Supporter groups have welcomed a major takeover development at Shrewsbury Town - but insist there are still questions that need answering.

Several groups joined forces to send an open letter to chairman Roland Wycherley on Sunday calling for greater transparency over the club’s future, with almost 900 supporters now having endorsed it online.

The letter set out six questions for the club to answer, with Wycherley given until September 20 to respond publicly.

The call came a day before the club confirmed today (September 7) that the American consortium hoping to complete a takeover had been approved by both the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) and the EFL.

Despite the significant development, the supporter groups have reiterated that they want answers to the questions raised in their letter.

The club acknowledged receipt of the letter in its statement and said it would provide a “detailed response” after “due consideration”.

A spokesperson for the fan groups said: “We welcome this statement from the club today. The news that a prospective buyer has been approved by the Independent Football Regulator and the EFL is a positive step in the right direction.

“There are important questions that we set out in our letter which still need to be answered. In particular, we would like more clarity on what precisely remains to be done in order for a deal proceed, and on the likely timescale for completion.

“We are also of course eager to learn the identity of the prospective buyer and to understand their plans for the club.

“We note that the club’s statement acknowledges receipt of our open letter, and we are pleased by their commitment to providing a response to our questions after due consideration. Along with all Shrewsbury Town supporters, we look forward to receiving it.”

The letter attracted 800 signatures within its first 24 hours online. Earlier on Monday, a spokesperson said it had been “gratifying” to see the response from supporters.

The letter was formed and endorsed by groups affiliated with and connected to the club: the Official Supporters Club, Salopcast, South Stand Flags, Super Blues Committee, Her Game Too - STFC, B&A Fanzine, Away Travel Club, Proud Salopians and STFC Away Supporters.

The six questions cover the takeover process, the identity of the prospective buyer, the expected timescale for the deal and what supporters can do to ensure a “smooth and orderly transition” to a new ownership group.