The 2015–16 season was Shrewsbury Town's 130th year in existence and their first season back in League One after gaining promotion the previous season. Much of the season was spent fighting relegation, with safety only secured following the final home match of the season where despite losing to Peterborough United, same day defeats for Blackpool and Doncaster Rovers ensured another season of League One football with one game to spare.
The club also participated in the FA Cup, notably reaching the fifth round for the first time since 1991, and also reached the second rounds of both the League Cup and the Football League Trophy. A team consisting of fringe and youth players retained the Shropshire Senior Cup for the second consecutive season after beating AFC Telford United on penalties in the final.
The season covers the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016.
Players
First team squad information As of match played 8 May 2016.
No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth (age) Club caps (all comps) Club goals (all comps) Signed from Date signed Fee Contract End Goalkeepers1Jayson LeutwilerGKBasel910Middlesbrough11 June 2014Free30 June 201621Mark HalsteadGKBlackpool210Blackpool5 June 2014Free30 June 201625Callum BurtonGKNewport, Shropshire 10Academy24 February 2014Trainee30 June 201633Shaun RowleyGKShrewsbury 00Academy1 July 2015Trainee30 June 2016 Defenders2Matt TootleRBKnowsley 181Crewe Alexandra1 July 2015Free30 June 20173Mat SadlerLBBirmingham 832Rotherham United1 July 2015Free30 June 20174Zak WhitbreadCBHouston, Texas 271Free Agent16 October 2015Free30 June 20165Jermaine GrandisonCB/RBBirmingham1745Coventry City31 January 2011Free30 June 201612Junior BrownLB/LMCrewe401Mansfield Town1 July 2015Free30 June 201615Jack GrimmerRBAberdeen 312Fulham5 January 2016Loan30 June 201618Mickey DemetriouLBDurrington503Kidderminster Harriers2 June 2014Free30 June 201620Nathaniel Knight-PercivalCBEnfield776Peterborough United22 May 2014Free30 June 201624Jack HendryCBGlasgow60Wigan Athletic23 March 2016Loan30 June 201631Dominic SmithCB/RB Shrewsbury 240Academy26 December 2012Trainee30 June 2018 Midfielders6Ian BlackCMEdinburgh361 Rangers14 September 2015Free30 June 20178Richie WellensCMManchester120Doncaster Rovers8 January 2016Free30 June 201710Shaun WhalleyRMPrescot307Luton Town1 July 2015Free30 June 201714James WesolowskiCMSydney351Oldham Athletic6 June 2014Free30 June 201617Abu OgogoCMEpsom503Dagenham & Redbridge1 July 2015Free30 June 201722Jordan ClarkLM/CMHoyland595Barnsley17 July 2014Free30 June 201627James CatonLM/RMWidnes40Blackpool18 June 2014Free30 June 201629Larnell ColeLM/RMManchester343Fulham1 September 2015Loan30 June 201638James WallaceCMFazakerley110Sheffield United12 January 2016Loan30 June 201688Elliot GrandinLMCaen00Free Agent6 February 2016Free30 June 2016 Forwards7Kyle VassellCFMilton Keynes130Peterborough United8 January 2016Loan30 June 20169James CollinsCF Coventry15448 Hibernian4 June 2014Undisclosed30 June 201616Scott VernonCFManchester443 Aberdeen18 June 2014Free30 June 201619Andy ManganCFLiverpool5816Tranmere Rovers7 January 2016Free30 June 201723Tyrone BarnettCFStevenage4510Peterborough United2 February 2015Undisclosed 30 June 201726Jean-Louis Akpa AkproCFToulouse9516Tranmere Rovers2 July 2014Free30 June 201630Ethan JonesCFDudley10Academy15 October 2015Trainee30 June 201732Kaiman AndersonCFShrewsburyUnknown00Academy1 July 2015Trainee30 June 2016
Transfers
Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Contract Length Ref. 1 July 2015 LM Junior Brown Mansfield Town Free transfer 1 year 1 July 2015 CM Darren McKnight Barnsley Free transfer 1 year + 1 year option 1 July 2015 CM Abu Ogogo Dagenham & Redbridge Free transfer 2 years 1 July 2015 LB Mat Sadler Rotherham United Free transfer 2 years 1 July 2015 RB Matt Tootle Crewe Alexandra Free transfer 2 years 1 July 2015 RW Shaun Whalley Luton Town Free transfer 2 years 1 July 2015 CM Martin Woods Ross County Free transfer 2 years 21 August 2015 RB Sam Patterson Free agent Free transfer 1 year + 1 year option 14 September 2015 CM Ian Black Rangers Free transfer 2 years + 1 year option 16 October 2015 CB Zak Whitbread Free Agent Free transfer 3 months 24 October 2015 CB Anthony Gerrard Free Agent Free transfer Non-contract terms 7 January 2016 FW Andy Mangan Tranmere Rovers Undisclosed 18 months 8 January 2016 CM Richie Wellens Doncaster Rovers Free transfer 18 months 6 February 2016 LW Elliot Grandin Free Agent Free transfer 6 months
Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 2 June 2015 CF Ashley Vincent Worcester City Free transfer 30 June 2015 RB Cameron Gayle Oxford United Contract cancelled 1 July 2015 CM Aaron Wildig Morecambe Free transfer 2 July 2015 CF Andy Mangan Tranmere Rovers Free transfer 10 August 2015 RW Josh Ginnelly Burnley Undisclosed 19 August 2015 CB Connor Goldson Brighton & Hove Albion Undisclosed 31 August 2015 CM Martin Woods Ross County Free transfer 1 September 2015 DM Ryan Woods Brentford Undisclosed 7 January 2016 MF Liam Lawrence Bristol Rovers Free transfer 12 January 2016 MF Darren McKnight Morecambe Contract cancelled 13 January 2016 DF Sam Patterson Bradford Park Avenue Contract cancelled 21 January 2016 CB Anthony Gerrard Oldham Athletic Contract cancelled
Loans in Date from Position Nationality Name From Date until Ref. 9 July 2015 CF Liam McAlinden Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 January 2016 1 September 2015 RW Larnell Cole Fulham 30 June 2016 17 September 2015 MF Sullay Kaikai Crystal Palace 23 December 2015 6 January 2016 DF Jack Grimmer Fulham 30 June 2016 8 January 2016 CF Kyle Vassell Peterborough United 30 June 2016 12 January 2016 MF James Wallace Sheffield United 30 June 2016 1 March 2016 MF Sullay Kaikai Crystal Palace 3 May 2016 23 March 2016 DF Jack Hendry Wigan Athletic 30 June 2016
Loans out Date from Position Nationality Name To Date until Ref. 17 July 2015 CF Kaiman Anderson AFC Telford United 21 October 2015 8 August 2015 MF James Caton Mansfield Town 6 September 2015 1 September 2015 LB Mickey Demetriou Cambridge United 4 January 2016 29 October 2015 CB Mark Ellis Carlisle United 2 January 2016 5 November 2015 MF James Caton Wrexham 2 January 2016 26 November 2015 GK Shaun Rowley Halesowen Town 16 February 2016 20 December 2015 CF Kaiman Anderson Halesowen Town 23 April 2016 5 January 2016 CF James Collins Northampton Town 30 June 2016 7 January 2016 CF Tyrone Barnett Southend United 30 June 2016 29 January 2016 MF James Caton Lincoln City 30 April 2016
New contracts & contract extensions Date Position Nationality Name Length Contracted Until Ref. 15 May 2015 MF Jordan Clark 1 year 30 June 2016 22 May 2015 FW Kaiman Anderson 1 year + 1 year option 30 June 2016 23 June 2015 GK Shaun Rowley 1 year + 1 year option 30 June 2016 6 August 2015 FW Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro 1 year 30 June 2016 7 August 2015 DF Jermaine Grandison 1 year 30 June 2016 15 October 2015 FW Ethan Jones 2 years + 1 year option 30 June 2017 21 January 2016 DF Zak Whitbread 6 months 30 June 2016 8 March 2016 DF Dominic Smith 2 years 30 June 2018
Competitions
Pre-season friendlies
League One
League table
Matches
League Cup On 16 June 2015, the first round draw was made, Shrewsbury Town were drawn away against Blackburn Rovers. In the second round, Shrewsbury Town were drawn against Crystal Palace away.
FA Cup The draw for the first-round was made on 26 October 2015. Shrewsbury travelled to Gainsborough Trinity.
The ties for the second-round were drawn on 9 November. Shrewsbury were drawn away to Grimsby Town. The draw for the third-round took place on 7 December, before the fixture at Blundell Park was played. Shrewsbury required a replay to secure a tie away at Cardiff City.
The draw for the fourth-round was made on 11 January 2016. Shrewsbury were drawn at home to Sheffield Wednesday.
The draw for the fifth round was made on 31 January 2016. Manchester United were drawn to visit New Meadow.
Football League Trophy On 8 August 2015, live on Soccer AM the draw for the first round of the Football League Trophy was drawn by Toni Duggan and Alex Scott. Shrewsbury will host Oldham Athletic. Ties for the second round were drawn on 5 September, Shrewsbury travelled to Fleetwood Town.
Shropshire Senior Cup On 22 June 2015, Shrewsbury Town confirmed that their first-team squad would play Market Drayton Town in the semi-final of the Shropshire Senior Cup. AFC Telford United travelled to New Meadow for the final.
Player statistics
Squad stats As of match played 8 May 2016.
|colspan="14"|Players away from the club on loan:
|colspan="14"|Players who left the club before the season ended:
Top scorers As of match played 8 May 2016.
PlacePositionNationNumberNameLeague OneFA CupLeague CupFL TrophyTotal 1 MF 11 Sullay Kaikai 12 0 0 0 12 2 MF 10 Shaun Whalley 6 1 0 0 7 FW 9 James Collins 5 1 1 0 7 FW 26 Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro 6 1 0 0 7 3 FW 19 Andy Mangan 5 1 0 0 6 FW 23 Tyrone Barnett 4 0 1 1 6 4 DF 20 Nathaniel Knight-Percival 5 0 0 0 5 5 MF 29 Larnell Cole 3 0 0 0 3 MF 17 Abu Ogogo 2 1 0 0 3 6 DF 15 Jack Grimmer 1 1 0 0 2 DF 3 Mat Sadler 2 0 0 0 2 MF 22 Jordan Clark 2 0 0 0 2 7 FW 16 Scott Vernon 1 0 0 0 1 DF 4 Zak Whitbread 1 0 0 0 1 MF 6 Ian Black 1 0 0 0 1 MF 12 Junior Brown 0 0 0 1 1 DF 2 Matt Tootle 0 0 1 0 1 FW 19 Liam McAlinden 0 0 0 1 1 DF 15 Mark Ellis 1 0 0 0 1 − − − Own-goals 1 0 0 0 1
Players in italics left the club before the season ended
Disciplinary record As of match played 8 May 2016.
Name League Two FA Cup EFL Cup EFL Trophy Total 1 GK Jayson Leutwiler 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 2 DF Matt Tootle 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 3 DF Mat Sadler 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 5 0 4 MF Ryan Woods 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 4 DF Zak Whitbread 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 5 DF Jermaine Grandison 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 DF Connor Goldson 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 MF Ian Black 11 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 13 2 7 MF Liam Lawrence 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 7 FW Kyle Vassell 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 8 MF Richie Wellens 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 9 FW James Collins 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 10 MF Shaun Whalley 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 12 MF Junior Brown 8 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 9 1 13 DF Anthony Gerrard 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 14 MF James Wesolowski 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 15 DF Jack Grimmer 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 16 FW Scott Vernon 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 17 MF Abu Ogogo 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 18 DF Mickey Demetriou 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 19 FW Liam McAlinden 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 20 DF Nathaniel Knight-Percival 8 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 10 1 21 GK Mark Halstead 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 22 MF Jordan Clark 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 23 FW Tyrone Barnett 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 24 DF Jack Hendry 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 26 FW Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 29 MF Larnell Cole 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 31 DF Dominic Smith 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 38 MF James Wallace 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Players in italics left the club before the season ended
References