Will Boyle: The inside track on Shrewsbury Town’s latest recruit

The 29-year-old follows Tom Anderson, Sam Clucas and Sam Stubbs in signing two-year contracts in Shropshire until the summer of 2027. 

The defender made 166 league appearances for Cheltenham Town during his spell there from January 2017 until June 2022. 

And Jon Palmer, who covers the Robins for Gloucester Live, has given the Shropshire Star the inside track on Boyle. 

"He's a thinking footballer,” Palmer said. “Although he's quite a hard player in terms of centre-half, winning headers, winning challenges, he's quite a thoughtful character I would say - off the pitch. He's definitely always trying to improve himself.

"He takes an interest in everyone and it's not all about him.

“He asks questions, he wants to know what you're doing, how you are and I think he's like that in the changing room as well. 

“I think all the players at Cheltenham loved him. Michael Duff had this core of experienced players that would have included him, even though he was quite young.

"Boyle was definitely a big standard setter off the pitch as well as being a very good player on it.”

The towering six-foot-three-inch tall centre-back joined the Robins when Gary Johnson was manager. 

But he thrived during Michael Duff’s period at the club, and as a left-footed defender, he played predominantly on the left side of a back three. 

Palmer continued: "Duff came in early in the 2018-19 season and the likes of Boyle, Ben Tozer, they brought in Charlie Raglan. That was the famous back three of Duff who always played 3-5-2.

"Boyle really enjoyed that role on the left.

“He got better at bringing the ball out. He learnt a lot from Duff. He was a centre-half himself and that was what probably got him the move to Huddersfield.”

Over the last couple of seasons, the defender has not played too much. He made 16 Championship appearances for the Terriers and then 20 starts in Wrexham’s League Two campaign in 2023-24 - but he did not play a league game last year. 

"He went to Huddersfield,” Palmer continued. “He played a few games, but they had a change of manager.

"He played a bit under Neil Warnock I think that season in the Championship. But obviously, he was never really a regular Championship starter. Then he linked up with Tozer again at Wrexham.

"He played a few games for Wrexham but they are just progressing at such an incredible rate aren't they that even people like Paul Mullin are getting binned off now. But he scored a couple and played a bit in the League Two title-winning season. 

"So you look at his CV it does look a bit like he's not played many games since he left Cheltenham, but in terms of the fourth tier, I would say he's an outstanding League Two defender.”