[themaclad]

Shrewsbury Town have signed striker John Marquis on a two-year contract following his release by Bristol Rovers.

The 32-year-old scored in Rovers' 2-0 win at Town in last September - one of 13 goals in 71 league appearances for the Gas.

Marquis started his career at Millwall before having permanent spells with Doncaster, Portsmouth and Lincoln.

He is the second player to arrive from Rovers this week after defender Luca Hoole and becomes Shrewsbury's ninth signing of the summer ahead of the new League One campaign.


The club have also confirmed Mal Benning and Aaron Pierre have both agreed "fresh terms" ahead of the season.

Left-back Benning signed a two-year deal in May, while fellow defender Pierre agreed a new 12-month contract only last month after returning to Shrewsbury for a second time last October on a short-term deal.

[themaclad]

Shrewsbury Town have signed striker Joshua Kayode from Rotherham United on a season-long loan.

The Nigeria-born Republic of Ireland Under-21 international follows the arrival of fellow strikers John Marquis and George Lloyd.

The club have also recruited midfielders Harrison Biggins and Tommi O'Reilly defender Luca Hoole and goalkeeper Toby Savin, along with the return of Toto Nsiala.

"JJ is a player I have been aware of for a long time," said Town head coach Paul Hurst. "He has had a few loan moves with varying success and in recent times he hasn’t got the amount of games he would have liked.

"He has had a good pre-season with Rotherham and joins us hungry and keen to show what he can do. He is a player that can play in different positions across the front line. He’s quick, strong, athletic and has an eye for goal."

Kayode has a career haul of 21 goals - three for Rotherham and the rest on a string of loans, three of them with Carlisle United, as well as Chesterfield, Gateshead and MK Dons. He has not found the net in his limited opportunities over the last two seasons.

Meanwhile, the Shrews have also announced the signing of former Wolves Under-21 goalkeeper Joe Young.

Shrewsbury-born Young, 21, joins his hometown club after a recent trial period and becomes the second goalkeeper to join the club this summer after Savin.

Hurst said: "Joe is a young goalkeeper that was well thought of at Wolves and has experience with England at youth level. He is a player with potential who we hope can develop under our watch."

[themaclad]

Shrewsbury Town have made their 10th summer signing by bringing in midfelder Jordan Rossiter on a one-year deal.

The 27-year-old former Liverpool junior, who made five first-team appearances for the Reds, left to join Rangers in 2016 before moving on to Ryan Lowe's Bury, Fleetwood, then Joey Barton's Bristol Rovers in 2022.

He had been on trial at Oteley Road and played two pre-season games for Shrewsbury after his end-of-season departure from Bristol Rovers, where he had discussed a new deal.

He is the third of Town's summer arrivals to come from the Memorial Stadium following defender Luca Hoole and striker John Marquis.

“Jordan came in on trial but we knew it was never going to be a long trial," said Town boss Paul Hurst. "Fitness has been his issue but he has come through the games without any problems. He could be a really big player for us.

"He has got a really good pedigree. He's been with Liverpool. He went up to Rangers as well. He had a really good start to his career and he is the type of player that will have gained a lot from those experiences. He is a genuine lad."

Town have also signed two keepers, Toby Savin and Joe Young, two strikers, JJ Kayode and George Lloyd, brought back defender Toto Nsiala to the club and two other midfielder, Harrison Biggins and Tommi O'Reilly.

[themaclad]

Shrewsbury Town have signed Aston Villa centre-back Josh Feeney on a season-long loan.

The 19-year-old played three EFL Trophy games for Villa's Under-21 side last season but has yet to appear for their first team.

He is the second Villa youngster brought in by Shrewsbury this summer, following midfielder Tommi O'Reilly, and their 11th signing in all.

"His parent club wanted to take Josh on their pre-season tour so we had to be a little patient and wait for him to come in," said Shrews boss Paul Hurst.

Shrewsbury will start the new season with a trip to Stevenage on Saturday, having finished 19th last term, four points clear of the relegation places.

[themaclad]

Shrewsbury Town have signed winger Charles Sagoe Jr from Arsenal on a season-long loan.

The 20-year-old Londoner made his Arsenal debut in the League Cup in September 2023 before declining an approach from Shrewsbury to spend the second half of last season on loan with Championship side Swansea City.

But he only made two substitute appearances - and is hoping to make more of an impact in Shrewsbury.

"We have lacked options in those wide areas so I'm delighted to get him in," Town boss Paul Hurst told BBC Radio Shropshire.

"He's a player we have been interested in since January. He opted to go to Swansea and realistically that is understandable for an opportunity in the league higher. It didn’t quite work out but our interest remained and the fact we have been interested for some time has helped our case.

"His pre-season has been a little bit different. He’s been away with the first team. He’s had some game time but not loads so he’s probably not fully where he needs to be, but we'll do everything we can to get him up to speed as quickly as possible. We will have to really monitor him and make a call of when we use him whether that’s off the bench or we start him."

[themaclad]

Shrewsbury Town have brought back Harrison Biggins from his loan with League Two side Carlisle United following speculation over the future of fellow midfielder Tom Bloxham.

Town's League One rivals Blackpool are the side most strongly linked with 21-year-old Bloxham, who has made 126 appearances - with almost half of those from the bench - since making his debut at the age of 16 in September 2020.

"It's probably not just Blackpool who are interested in him," Town boss Gareth Ainsworth told BBC Radio Shropshire.

"Although that's the reports coming out at the moment and we'll see where that one goes.

"But there's a board here. It would be a group decision as to what it would take to get Tom out of here or to get him to stay.

"If people weren't interested in Tom Bloxham, then I'd be surprised. He's a threat, a quick player, a ball carrier. He's done well in his time here."

Town also face the threat of losing another midfielder in the window - 31-year-old once-capped Northern Ireland international Carl Winchester, who has been linked with a return home.

"Carl is missing his family over there," Ainsworth said.

"There's reports of that about and I know what that's like. I can empathise with it. At the moment it's just talk. People putting two and two together and making five - and we'll see how that goes. But I look after my players. It's really important to keep them happy."

Bloxham twice impressed inside a month against Steve Bruce's Seasiders, scoring Town's equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Bloomfield Road on New Year's Day.

He also spent the first half of last season out on loan with League Two side Morecambe.

Summer signing Biggins, son of former Burnley striker Wayne Biggins, played in all Shrewsbury's first six games of the season, only to then make a sharp exit when he was loaned to Carlisle on August transfer deadline day.

But, since then, Shrewsbury have had a change of head coach, replacing Paul Hurst with Ainsworth.

Town, bottom when Ainsworth arrived, are now in 22nd but are still eight points adrift of safety ahead of their next game - Thursday's home border derby with promotion-chasing Wrexham.

[themaclad]

Shrewsbury Town have made their second January signing by bringing in midfielder Dominic Gape from non-league Eastleigh on a deal until the end of the season.

The 30-year-old former Wycombe Wanderers man played under Town head coach Gareth Ainsworth, assistant boss Richard Dobson and physical performance coach Dave Wates in his time at Adams Park.

He follows the arrival of Leamington striker Callum Stewart and will help plug the gap left by Carl Winchester cancelling his contract to return to his native Northern Ireland.

"I've worked with the staff here for a number of seasons in the past," he said. "They mentioned there might be an opportunity and I jumped at it with both hands.

"I really enjoyed playing under the gaffer at Wycombe. I was a mainstay throughout and we had two promotions. And I've got the utmost respect for the three of them.

"I know exactly what is expected and what the standards and non-negotiables are."

Shrewsbury sit 22nd in League One, having won only three times in 10 matches under Ainsworth - but two of them were against pacesetters Birmingham City and Wrexham.

Gape should make his Town debut at The Valley against Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

Shrewsbury Town goalkeeper Jamal Blackman has signed a contract extension for the remainder of the season.

The 31-year-old joined the club on a short-term deal last month and has made six appearances in League One.

Blackman began his career at Chelsea and spent a season playing under Shrewsbury boss Gareth Ainsworth at former club Wycombe Wanderers in 2016-17.

"I've really enjoyed my time here so far. We've managed to get a couple of wins and a couple of draws in the games I've played so far and we want to build on that," Blackman said.

Shrewsbury are 22nd in League One, six points from safety, and are away to Charlton Athletic on Saturday, followed by a trip to Stockport County next Tuesday evening.

[themaclad]

Shrewsbury Town have made their fifth signing of the January transfer window by bringing in experienced striker Vadaine Oliver on loan from Bradford City until the end of the season.

The 33-year-old former Lincoln City, Crewe Alexandra, Mansfield Town, York City, Notts County, Morecambe, Gillingham and Stevenage frontman follows the arrivals of Jamal Blackman, Callum Stewart, Dom Gape and Ricardo Dinanga.

Oliver has not scored a Football League goal since New Year's Eve 2023 - but he is just three short of a career century in all competitions.

Gareth Ainsworth's Shrewsbury lie 23rd in League One, five points off safety following Saturday's 2-1 win with 10 men against Mansfield Town.

"I had a conversation with (Town's director of football) Micky Moore who I know really well," Oliver told the club website., external

"The vision the club has, I want to be a part of that. I want to help change the course of the club.

"They had a great win at the weekend. You can see there is a really strong togetherness. And when I spoke to Gareth, he told me all the lads believe we can do this. My aim is to get us out of the situation we are in. We want to stay in this league and we are good enough to do it."