On our lovable dodgy rumours site I've seen 2 posts regarding us and shrewsbury. Watford apparently interested in 21yo RB/CB Connor Goldson from Shrewsbury (Spurs also interested) Someone has also posted that Shrewsbury are interested in Doyley Obviously the site is dubious but there might be something in it if there is no money changing hands. Does anyone know anything about Goldson? I've prefixed this as "Rubbish" as we don't have a 'Dodgy' prefix
A "ITK" twitter account said that we are interested in Goldson too, probably where the rumour started.
They have a good chance of playing at a higher level next season (currently leading L2 - btw LTFC have slipped out of the 3 auto slots)
Shrewsbury have apparently been playing 3-5-2 this season and he fits right in, even being captain for a few games despite being only 21 years old. If he's got potential to become a very good player then I certainly don't mind, although losing Doyley will be hard to stomach.
Would it be hard to stomach? This season Doyley has become even more of a bit part player, his time at WFC is unfortunately coming to an end. He's 32 and as a solid defender he should have at least 4-5 more years in the professional game but that would realistically only happen if he went to a L1 or L2 club. Yes it would be sad to see him go, but now the time is right he needs to play regularly, he isn't going to get that with us again.
Checked him out on Wiki, he's a big lad 6'3" aged 22 and appears to be versatile, can play CB, RB & CM apparently? Could be a good addition to the squad and Doyley going the other way could make sense as his days at Championship level appear to be over? So this rumour could have legs?
Been to see the Shrews a lot this season. Goldson is the lynchpin of a very solid defence and a big reason they're top of the league. He rejected going to Stoke's under 21 league so that he could play regular first team football. He's strong, has good vision and is pretty good with the ball at his feet. Could he step up to the top of the championship? Maybe, hard to say. He's definitely loads better than Doyley.
Yes it would. I'm not one of those that realistically thought Doyley was going to get much game time and I'm not one of those that thinks he wouldn't leave for the love of playing football. But there's a part of me that wanted him to stay at the club until he retires and it seemingly doesn't look like that will happen- that part of me would find it hard to stomach him leaving (as I'm sure quite a load of us would as well).
Wikipedia reckons that he had offers from Premier League clubs before signing a new contract with Shrewsbury over summer. No source, though - the link given is dead. Strange for a player aged 22 to still be playing in League 2 if he supposedly has so much potential. Fewer and fewer players stay in the lower leagues until that age - just look at Matt Grimes going straight from Exeter to Swansea aged 19. Can't remember we signed a 'diamond in the rough' playing at that low a level at that age; Deeney was 23 and playing for Walsall in League 1, but that's as close as I can think of atm.
We already know that Luke Dowling has done a lot of scouting lower down in the football league. This seems to be the kind of signing he'd be looking at. If there is any truth to this, he'll have had a lot to do with it. For the record, I reckon he'd be a quality signing from what I've heard about him. He wouldn't be expensive, so we might as well get him in and see how he does.
There's a Football League twitter account speculating on this too. It has previous on getting things right. https://twitter.com/FL72Forum/status/551867664084529152
What's he like MattSTFC? He looks a unit. Quick? Good with his feet? I see you guys play 3-5-2 as well just like us.
He's a big lad and he can certainly handle the physical side of the game if required but he's a cultured, footballing type of centre back. He's not lightning quick but rarely gets beaten for pace and he's decent enough in the air, although probably not as big a threat in the opposition box from set plays as he should be. He likes to play, he's comfortable in possession and generally uses the ball well. He likes to carry the ball into the middle of the park. He'd be very much at home in a side that likes to play out from the back as we do. Right back is definitely not his position, he has often looked like a fish up a tree playing there over the last couple of seasons. That said he played right back at The Arse a few seasons ago and hardly gave Benayoun a kick that night.
Our new Sporting Director Luke Dowling is meant to be finding British talent for us, Goldson sounds like he fits that description. Let's hope there's legs in this one. With him signing a new contract hopefully you guys get a good fee for him if anyone does sign him, nobody wants their academy products leaving for peanuts!
How was he against Schurrle and co this season? Actually, whilst I'm at it, since you played some good opposition in the League Cup, how was he against all of them?
