Paul Simpson has high hopes Shrewsbury Town’s “foreign legion” can bounce back from difficult debut seasons to play leading roles in this term’s anticipated League Two promotion push.
Australian utility man Shane Cansdell-Sherriff and Canadian midfielder Terry Dunfield both struggled to hold down regular places and ended the season on the fringes, neither gracing the Wembley turf as Town’s promotion dream was extinguished by Gillingham.
But boss Simpson, who returns from a five-day Spanish training camp with his squad today, insists every player starts this season with a clean slate and he’s looking for Cansdell-Sherriff and Dunfield to show the sort of form which convinced him to bring them to the Prostar.
He believes ex-Tranmere player Cansdell-Sherriff can shine at left back while he’s also hopeful Dunfield, whom he signed from Macclesfield in January, can push strongly for a midfield spot.
“I believe Shane can make a very good left back as he’s a good size, a good footballer and a good athlete,” said Simpson. “Shane had a very good start to last season and, to be honest, when I signed him there was talk of Marc Tierney going at the time as I kept getting enquiries from Stockport.
“I brought Shane in thinking he would play at left back but Tierney started the season here and Shane found a place in midfield where I thought he did well.
“Then, for whatever reason, Shane just lost his way and had a middle of the season which he’ll want to forget. He finished the season much better and I told him he had to come back in the same frame of mind and prove to everybody that he’s a good footballer.”
After the departure of Neil Ashton, Simpson believes he’s still got useful options for the left back spot with Kevin McIntyre and Steve Leslie the other contenders. “While I accept they’re not full time left backs, I think those three can do a job for us and do it quite well,” he said.
Simpson is also backing Dunfield to come good and win over the fans, conceding he struggled to show just what he’s capable of following his mid-season arrival.
“I thought he was outstanding for us in his first game at Barnet,” said Simpson. “But unfortunately from that point on he didn’t perform to the levels that he’s capable of.
“He’s looked after himself over the summer and has come in wanting to show me that he deserves to play ahead of Disley, Murray and McIntyre. With the four of them, if they’re all playing to their levels, we’ve got four excellent central midfield players.”
Reflecting on Dunfield’s displays last season, he added: “I just thought he looked nervous and he’s a very positive lad, a very positive footballer. He’s got a fantastic range of passing and he can get around the pitch. For me, he’s got everything to be a good central midfield player at this level.
“We all start with a clean slate and it’s up to everybody to prove to me they deserve to play.”
Town’s title-winning reserves kick off their season at home to Derby on Wednesday, August 26 (7pm). West Brom and the two Sheffield clubs are also on the fixture list.
By Stuart Dunn
