Paul Simpson is keen to add some extra pace to his Shrewsbury Town squad as he continues his search for reinforcements – with Craig Dobson due to be handed the chance to impress last night.
Last week’s departure of Chris Humphrey to Motherwell saw Town lose the services of one of the quickest talents in the lower divisions, with Simpson out to replace him as soon as possible. Simpson is actively chasing a new right winger and revealed he would also like to bring in another striker to pep up the club’s attacking options with the new League Two season looming large.
Right winger Dobson, 25, formerly with MK Dons, Brentford and Stevenage Borough, was hoping to catch Simpson’s eye last night in the home friendly against West Bromwich Albion.
“He’s one of the players we’re thinking about to replace Chris Humphrey,” said Simpson. “He played in our youth team friendly at Bridgnorth on Monday night and trained with us on Tuesday.
“He was on the bench for Brentford a few times towards the end of last season. He’s had a few injuries but he’s got ability and decent pace.”
Simpson has identified a real need to try and add more pace to his squad following Humphrey’s decision to try his luck in the Scottish Premier League.
“I think everybody needs pace and that’s something we are missing,” said Simpson. “Jake Robinson and Omer Riza have brought a bit of pace to it and Lewis Neal’s also got a decent change of pace which we haven’t seen yet.
“There is a little bit in there but I do feel we need more and it’s something I’m looking at, but it’s hard to get hold of because everybody wants it.”
Simpson revealed that David Worrall, who ended last season on loan at the Prostar, was one of the other players he had considered bringing in, and he expected the youngster to feature for West Brom last night.
“David’s somebody who I would consider,” he said. “He’s one of many players I’ve talked about and considered bringing in. We’ve just got to try and get the right ones for us.
“We’ve not spoken to Albion about him recently. I spoke to them at the end of the season and there are a couple of players there who could come in and help us.”
Simpson admitted his plans for the new season have had to be reworked given the departures of Humphrey and also Ben Davies, to Notts County, as he had been hopeful of holding on to both players.
“Notts County are blowing everybody else out of the water when it comes to the money they’re prepared to pay,” he said. “We couldn’t compete with that as they were talking about a salary that nobody at this football club earns.
“Chris Humphrey left it so long that it became fairly obvious to me that he didn’t want to stay here. It was fairly obvious to me that he wanted to go so he got the move he wanted.
“We’re still speaking to lawyers to see whether or not we are going to get the compensation that we believe we are entitled to.”
Town step up their preparations for the new season with another home game against Championship opposition on Saturday with Leicester City, managed by ex-Town defender Nigel Pearson, the visitors.
“It will be a tough test,” said Simpson. “The Albion game will have been one to work on our closing down and stopping people playing.
“I expect it to be more a case of working on defending balls into our box and over the top of the back four against Leicester.”
Meanwhile, two of the men released by Town at the end of last season are on trial with fellow League Two clubs.
Full back Ben Herd has turned out for Aldershot twice over the last week while Nick Chadwick has linked up with Darren Moss at Morecambe.
Goalkeeper Luke Daniels, a big hit on loan to Town last season, has joined League One side Tranmere on a season-long loan and ex-Shrewsbury striker Luke Rodgers has penned a two-year deal at Notts County, who this week sprung a major surprise by appointing former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson as their new director of football.
See page 77 of the Shrewsbury Chronicle/North Shropshire Chronicle for more Town news.
by Sports Reporter, Stuart Dunn