Why Will Gray’s new Shrewsbury Town deal is one of the club’s biggest wins this summer

When I think of the teenage midfielder, my mind goes back to Crawley Town away last season. Gray won possession deep inside his own half before gliding past several challenges and calmly switching play. It was a moment that summed him up perfectly.

At just 17, the talent was there for everyone to see. I lost count of the number of times I found myself writing that Gray had shown composure beyond his years. He never looked overawed by senior football.

The Bayston Hill youngster is one of two exciting midfield talents to emerge from the academy in recent years, alongside Isaac England. Seeing both establish themselves in the first-team picture is a tremendous success for the football club, and Gray’s new contract is important for several reasons.

First and foremost, it protects one of Town’s brightest assets. If Gray continues on the trajectory he showed at the end of last season, bigger clubs will likely take notice. By tying him down to a long-term deal, Shrewsbury have ensured any interested suitor will have to pay a transfer fee.

For clubs at Town’s level, producing and eventually selling academy graduates is one of the most sustainable ways to generate income. That makes deals like this every bit as important as a new signing.

Perhaps more importantly, it offers another reason for optimism after some difficult years. Gray’s rise from academy prospect to first-team player, alongside England’s, is a shining example of the pathway that exists for young footballers at Shrewsbury.

Managers often talk about giving young players a chance, but Gavin Cowan has shown he is prepared to do it. Gray earned his league debut because the manager trusted him, and he grasped the opportunity with both hands.

The deal also provides some welcome positive news during what Cowan himself has admitted has been a difficult transfer window. With the club operating under a transfer fee embargo, Town’s hands have been tied to an extent in the market. Having academy talents of Gray’s calibre ready to step into the first team is a major bonus.

Securing Gray’s future, while also retaining key senior players such as Josh Ruffels and Luca Hoole, represents excellent contract business by the club this summer. Not every success in a transfer window comes in the form of a new signing, and these agreements could prove just as important.

Congratulations must go to Gray, too. Professional contracts are earned, not handed out, and the 17-year-old has fully deserved his reward after taking his chance so impressively in the senior side. It feels like this is only the beginning.