Transfer-listed veteran tops Shrewsbury Town assist charts

A major creative contributor from this season could leave Shrewsbury Town during the summer rebuild.

Goalscorers often take the headlines, but the creation of chances is just as vital to a team’s success.

Shrewsbury Town had a wide range of goalscorers throughout the season, netting 42 times in League Two - some through individual brilliance, others through well-worked team moves.

Will Boyle and George Lloyd finished as the club’s top league scorers with four goals apiece, while John Marquis, Anthony Scully, Luca Hoole and loanee Iwan Morgan all chipped in with three each.

Defender Boyle was a constant aerial threat in the box and powered home several important goals - but he also proved a useful outlet in creating chances.

Indeed, looking at the assist charts, Boyle also ranks highly, finishing with the second-most league assists for Town with three.

However, it was Sam Clucas who led the way with five assists for Shrewsbury, all of which came between late September and mid-December - and he is among those who could depart.

After arriving last summer, the 35-year-old featured heavily during the first half of the season under former boss Michael Appleton. Clucas started each of Town’s first 30 league games, including Gavin Cowan’s first two matches in charge against Barnet and Colchester United.

However, he was forced off after just 20 minutes in the latter with a hamstring injury and went on to make a further five appearances before the end of the season, his final outing coming at champions Bromley.

That appearance is likely to have been Clucas’ last for Shrewsbury, with the veteran midfielder having been transfer listed by the club this summer after arriving on a two-year deal.

Should he depart, Cowan will likely be in the market for a creative replacement capable of providing the same level of end product.

Clucas’ final goal involvement came with an assist at Grimsby Town in December, while he scored twice in consecutive matches against Barnet and Salford City.

Behind Boyle’s three assists, a number of players shared third place on two assists apiece across the campaign - Ismeal Kabia, Tom Sang, Anthony Scully, Sam Stubbs, Josh Ruffels and Kevin Berkoe.