The obvious choice: Why Will Boyle deserved the Shrewsbury Town armband

When Gavin Cowan was about to reveal Shrewsbury Town’s new skipper, I was 95 per cent certain Boyle’s name would be the one he announced.

There was a small part of me that wondered whether another experienced figure, perhaps Sam Stubbs, Josh Ruffels or Jack Price, might get the nod.

But it was Boyle. Last season ended with him applauding the travelling Salop supporters at Gillingham wearing the captain’s armband. Fittingly, the new campaign will begin with him leading Town out as they embark on a fresh chapter.

Was it ever really going to be anyone else?

Boyle’s CV made him the standout candidate. He is an experienced leader, a consistent performer and arrived from a winning environment. In a difficult season for Shrewsbury, he was one of the few players whose standards rarely dipped.

While last season was one to forget for Salop supporters, the second half of the campaign was a marked improvement on the first as Town secured their League Two status. Boyle was at the heart of that turnaround, producing a string of commanding displays, and his impressive defensive numbers reflected just how influential he was.

He leads from the back, organises those around him and brings calmness. Having missed only a handful of games last season, he is also one of the first names on the teamsheet. That reliability matters, particularly for a captain.

In John Marquis’ absence, Boyle wore the armband as Town produced their best form of the season. Shrewsbury will hope that momentum can continue into the new campaign.

Of course, leadership is about far more than wearing the captain’s armband on a Saturday afternoon, and Boyle already possesses many of the qualities you want from a skipper. He carries himself with authority and is someone you would expect team-mates look towards.

Young players need experienced figures they can trust and learn from, and I believe Boyle has both the personality and experience to fill that role.

Perhaps Boyle’s biggest asset, though, is something that cannot be measured by statistics.

He arrived at Shrewsbury after playing his part in back-to-back promotions at Wrexham, experiencing first-hand the standards, habits and mentality required to build successful teams.

That experience should not be underestimated. Boyle knows what a winning dressing room looks like and understands the levels needed to challenge at the top end of the table. Those lessons are invaluable for a squad looking to move forward after a relegation battle.

If he can help instil some of that winning culture into this Shrewsbury side, the benefits could be significant.