The 2007–08 season was the 108th season of competitive association football and 57th season in the Football League played by Shrewsbury Town Football Club, a professional football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. Their seventh-place finish in 2006–07 and loss to Bristol Rovers in the 2007 Football League Two play-off final meant it was their fourth successive season in League Two. During the summer of 2007 the club moved home stadium from Gay Meadow, where they had played since 1910, to New Meadow (also known as Oteley Road Stadium). The season began on 1 July 2007 and concluded on 30 June 2008.
Manager Gary Peters signed two players before the close of the summer transfer window. Having stood 11th in the league table on 19 January, Shrewsbury were on a seven-match run without a win when Peters left the club by mutual consent in March 2008. He was replaced by Paul Simpson, who led Shrewsbury to safety from relegation despite only achieving one win in his twelve matches. The team finished the season 18th in the table. They lost in their opening round matches in both the 2007–08 FA Cup and the Football League Trophy, and were eliminated in the second round of the Football League Cup.
34 players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were 19 different goalscorers. Defender Ben Herd appeared in 48 of the 50 first-team matches over the season, the most by any player. Defender Marc Tierney made the most starts with 46, he came on in one game as a substitution making him the player with the second most appearances overall. David Hibbert finished as leading scorer with 12 goals, all of which came in league competition. Hibbert also received the most yellow cards, being booked in nine matches. Colin Murdock was the only player to be sent off in a match, receiving a red card away at Grimsby Town in the league.
Background and pre-season
The 2006–07 season was Gary Peters' third season as manager of Shrewsbury Town, following his appointment in November 2004. Shrewsbury reached the play-offs with a seventh-place finish in the 2006–07 League Two table. They beat Milton Keynes Dons 2–1 on aggregate with all goals coming in the second leg away at the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes. Shrewsbury were beaten 3–1 in the 2007 Football League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium and remained in League Two.
Shrewsbury Town left their home stadium Gay Meadow after 97 years at the end of the 2006–07 season. There were various reasons the club decided to move stadium, most notably due to the close proximity to the River Severn making it prone to flooding. A new stadium with a capacity of 10,000 spectators was built as a replacement for Gay Meadow, it was known during the building phase and the club's first season there as both New Meadow and Oteley Road Stadium, with the former being the final name (excluding names used for sponsorship purposes). The first match at the new stadium was played on the 14 July 2007 against A-Line All Stars, a goal each from David Hibbert, Danny Hall, Tom Moss and trialist Kieran Donnolly gave Shrewsbury a 4–0 win.
Ahead of 2007–08, Shrewsbury released Sagi Burton. Four players left the club: Richard Hope to Wrexham, David Edwards to Luton Town, Ross Draper to Stafford Rangers and Steven Hogg to Gretna. Shrewsbury made two permanent summer signings, those being defender Colin Murdock from Rotherham United, and striker Fola Onibuje from Wycombe Wanderers. Striker Stuart Nicholson was brought it on a scheduled season-long loan from West Bromwich Albion.
Summary and aftermath For the first six games Shrewsbury occupied a top seven place, enough for either automatic promotion or qualification in the League Two play-offs. From match seven Shrewsbury were in lower midtable for the rest of the season. Though never dropping as low as 23rd or 24th, the club went on a run of one win in 20 matches which brought them into the relegation battle, but a 3–0 win against Wrexham was enough for Shrewsbury to survive. The club finished in 18th place in the league table. Ben Herd made the most appearances for the club playing in 48 of the 50 first-team matches. David Hibbert was top scorer with 12 goals, all of them scored in League Two, and was the only player to reach double figures.
Ahead of the new season, Shrewsbury released Chris Mackenzie, Andy Cooke and Tom Moss. Colin Murdock, Luke Jones and Darran Kempson left to sign for Accrington Stanley, Kidderminster Harriers and Wrexham respectively. The club signed forward Grant Holt from Nottingham Forest, and defenders Mike Jackson from Blackpool, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff from Tranmere Rovers, and Graham Coughlan from Rotherham United. Brought in on loan were forward Richard Walker from Bristol Rovers, and goalkeeper Luke Daniels from West Bromwich Albion. The Shrewsbury Town F.C. Player of the Year award was established where the club's supporters voted for who they believed was the best player for Shrewsbury during the season, the award was first presented at the end of the 2008–09 season.
Match details League Two
League table (part)
Results summary
FA Cup
League Cup
League Trophy
Transfers In DatePlayerClubFee31 July 2007Colin MurdockRotherham UnitedFree1 August 2007Fola OnibujeWycombe WanderersUndisclosed3 January 2008Kevin McIntyreMacclesfield Town≥£30,00011 January 2008Keith BriggsStockport CountyFree11 January 2008Guy MadjoCrawley Town£20,00014 January 2008James MeredithSligo RoversUndisclosed31 January 2008James ConstableKidderminster HarriersUndisclosed31 January 2008Scott BevanKidderminster HarriersUndisclosed31 May 2008Stephen HindmarchCarlisle UnitedFree31 May 2008Paul MurrayGretnaFree24 June 2008Mike JacksonBlackpoolFree24 June 2008Grant HoltNottingham Forest£170,00030 June 2008Shane Cansdell-SherriffTranmere RoversFree
Out DatePlayerClubFee20 July 2007Sagi BurtonBarnetReleased1 August 2007Ross DraperStafford RangersFree10 August 2007Steven HoggGretnaUndisclosed16 August 2007Derek AsamoahNice£50,00031 August 2007Sean ClancyN/AReleased1 September 2007Fola OnibujeSt Albans CityReleased3 January 2008Stewart DrummondMorecambe£15,00010 January 2008Danny HallGretnaUndisclosed1 February 2008Ryan EssonHereford UnitedReleased20 February 2008Keith BriggsStalybridge CelticReleased17 June 2008Colin MurdockAccrington StanleyFree20 May 2008Chris MackenzieKidderminster HarriersReleased31 May 2008Andy CookeN/AReleased31 May 2008Tom MossN/AReleased
Loans in DatePlayerClubReturn16 August 2007Stuart NicholsonWest Bromwich AlbionRecalled 1 January 200819 November 2007Shane TudorPort ValeRecalled25 October 2008Neil WainwrightDarlingtonOne-month15 January 2008Asa HallBirmingham CityEnd of season20 March 2008Graeme LeeDoncaster RoversRecalled 23 April 2008
Squad Source: Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute. Players with squad numbers struck through and marked left the club during the playing season. Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Shrewsbury Town. Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
+ Players included in matchday squadsNo.Pos.Nat.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupLeague TrophyTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GKGlyn Garner410100000420002DFDarren Moss28 (3)210101031 (3)2403DF/MFNeil Ashton6 (9)00000107 (9)0204DFGraeme Lee * 4 (1)00000004 (1)0204MFStewart Drummond 22 (1)310100024 (1)3405DFDarran Kempson18 (5)000211021 (5)1106DF/MFDavid Hunt22 (5)2001 (1)00023 (6)2607MFMarc Pugh27 (10)410000028 (10)4408DFKelvin Langmead391101010421409FWDavid Hibbert36 (8)12001 (1)00037 (9)129010FWJames Constable7 (7)40000007 (7)41010FWStuart Nicholson * 6 (8)11000108 (8)12011FWMichael Symes12 (9)310201016 (9)34012DFBen Herd42 (3)00 (1)0100 (1)043 (5)07014MFBen Davies26 (1)600000026 (1)62015DFLuke Jones 6 (1)00000006 (1)00016DFDanny Hall 7 (8)0100 (1)0109 (9)02016DF/MFAsa Hall *13 (2)300000013 (2)31017MFChris Humphrey7 (18)000201010 (18)00018MFSteve Leslie10 (7)110200 (1)013 (8)10019FWGuy Madjo10 (5)300000010 (5)30019MFNeil Wainwright * 2 (1)00000002 (1)00019FWFola Onibuje 00001 (1)0001 (1)00020FWAndy Cooke10 (4)5000 (1)00010 (5)51021GKChris Mackenzie00000010100021GKScott Bevan50000000500022DFColin Murdock 2921010003124123DFMarc Tierney42 (1)110201046 (1)12024MFJimmy Ryan 1 (3)00020104 (3)00025DF/MFKeith Briggs 1 (1)10000001 (1)10025MFMichael Barnes 20000000200025DFSean Clancy00000000000027MFShane Tudor * 00000000000028MFKevin McIntyre2220000002224031GKRyan Esson00002000200032FWTom Moss00000000000033DFJames Meredith300000003010—DFMartin Riley 000000000000
See also List of Shrewsbury Town F.C. seasons
References