Ollie Westbury brings you his view on a busy week in the transfer market - after Shrewsbury made three signings from non-league.
Callum Stewart arrived from Leamington, before Dominic Gape arrived at Salop following a spell at non-league Eastleigh.
And earlier this week, they moved to bring in AFC Telford United's star man Ricardo Dinanga.
Callum Stewart arrived from Leamington, before Dominic Gape arrived at Salop following a spell at non-league Eastleigh.
And earlier this week, they moved to bring in AFC Telford United's star man Ricardo Dinanga.
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00:00It has been a very busy week here at the Shrewsbury Town Training Ground, which you can see behind me.
00:06Shrewsbury have been very busy. They've brought in three players, others have gone the other way.
00:11But they've raided the non-leagues and we've seen three players come in.
00:16Callum Stewart before the cross-border derby last weekend, last Thursday, sorry.
00:20Don Gate, his contract at Eastleigh expired. He now comes through the door to join up with Gareth Ainsworth once more.
00:26And then they raided local rivals AFC Telford United for Riccardo Di Nanga,
00:32who signs a couple of players signing two and a half year deals.
00:36And obviously Don Gate signing until the end of the season.
00:39What do we make of this? Well, it's difficult to say at this stage.
00:43You can't judge the players until you've seen them in action,
00:47but it certainly looks like a change in recruitment strategy for Shrewsbury this month.
00:52Signing those players early 20s.
00:55Very reluctant to judge them because I'm constantly reminded in the back of my head
00:59that Dan Udo arrived from Shrewsbury Town from Telford in the non-league.
01:04Obviously Kone at Wickham is another example of there are diamonds in the rough that you can find from that avenue.
01:10And that I suppose that Shrewsbury with the pond that they're fishing in
01:13and their financial and budgetary restraints do have to kind of get creative in the market.
01:18Now, they are probably nominal fees or we expect that their nominal fees
01:22that they've not had to take an awful lot of the risk on.
01:26And they're probably on low wages, too.
01:28So there's not a great deal of risk being taken.
01:30However, you probably would say with Shrewsbury in a relegation battle right now,
01:35fighting for their lives to try and stay in League One.
01:37Perhaps you would like a little bit more League One now,
01:40a little bit more League One experience to come through the door to really try
01:45and help shift them up the league, up the League One table,
01:50which I think is what everybody wants.
01:52However, there are still several days left in the transfer window.
01:56The window doesn't shut now until the 3rd of February next month.
02:01So there is plenty of time for Shrewsbury to kind of get around some additions
02:07and perhaps bring in some more League One experience.
02:10And that could perhaps have been the plan all along.
02:12Gareth Ainsworth has mentioned several times that they might have to wait
02:16until later in the transfer window to get the players through the door
02:19that they actually want.
02:20So we'll have to keep our eyes peeled.
02:23We'll have to watch to see how these new players go.
02:25I mean, obviously, it's interesting that, you know,
02:27obviously we've just seen Tom Bloxham leave the crowd meadow.
02:31And having some players with some sell on value at the right age
02:34that come in and do well is always something that's important
02:37for a football club like Shrewsbury.
02:39So, you know, perhaps if they can come in and be successful,
02:42then we'll have to wait and see.
02:44But, you know, it's been a very, very busy week with Shrewsbury and sign-ins.
02:48So we will wait to see how they go now in the second half of the season.