Shrewsbury mining Emerald Isle in search of hidden talent
With Shrewsbury Town having one of the smallest budgets in League One, they have to be smart in the transfer market.
And maybe that is something they are doing as Matt Taylor, and Micky Moore in particular, seem to enjoy being inventive.
They completed their first signing of the winter transfer window last week – securing the signature of former Southampton academy product Roland Idowu.
The 21-year-old is a relative unknown – he has come from the League of Ireland First Division, where he played for Waterford, scoring nine times and getting 10 assists in their league campaign.
And that is a trend. He is the third player Town have signed from the League of Ireland since Moore and Taylor came in at the Croud Meadow.
Forward Max Mata came in from Sligo Rovers, and after issues with his work permit, he has struggled to hit the ground running in a Town shirt.
He got his first goal against Port Vale and has shown some real signs of promise of late, but as with most of Town’s forward players, the season has been challenging.
Tunmise Sobowale came in during the summer from the same club as Idowu, and the pair are understood to be close friends. Sobowale has found minutes hard to come by in Shropshire, and although he has shown signs of real promise he has been inconsistent.
Moore and Tom Ware (head of recruitment) look for talent, and there are without a doubt hidden gems over there in a pond most clubs won’t think to fish in.
