Goldson turns down Premier League move to stay at Town
Connor Goldson has finally put pen to paper on a new two year deal with the club after a lot of thinking and soul searching.
The young defender had a number of offers on the table including moves to Premier League sides, but in the end he decided his future lies with Micky Mellon's new look Shrewsbury Town.
After weeks of talks between the club, his agent and Connor, it came down to a sleepless night, a phone call to Micky Mellon and a heart to heart between Connor and his Dad.
“I'm happy it's all sorted. Obviously it's taken a long time and I bet a lot of people were thinking a lot of different things about me”said Connor.
“Now it's all done, I'm happy and hopefully we can get on with the job of getting this club back into League 1 this season.”
Connor completed the paperwork on the deal on Friday and went with his heart rather than advice from his agent.
He had offers to join Premier League sides but after playing first team football for four season's Connor wanted to continue that.
Connor added, “ I've had a lot going on. Last night I didn't get any sleep and then I was on the phone to the gaffer for 10 minutes.
“Once I'd come off the phone to him I said to my Dad that I'm signing. I came in this morning without my agent and signed the contract.
“If I'm really honest my agent didn't want me to sign. He wanted me to sign for a Premier League club and play U21 in their side, but I felt that was a step down in my career.
“All summer long I've been told I'm going to a big team and at the time I was happy that might happen and I was just buzzing to be associated with some big teams.
“When I spoke to the gaffer and to Jacko and looked at the big picture, me and my Dad came to the decision that it is better to stay here, play games and then earn a move.
“I don't want to just go to a team and then not play football, I want to play week in week out and I can think of no better place than Shrewsbury to do that.
“Last season was the worst of my career in football. I hated every moment of getting relegated so the aim now, and the gaffer's is the same, is to get Shrewsbury back into League 1.”
Connor was back at the club last Saturday to start the pre-season training and has been impressed with what he's seen so far at first hand. The new look back room staff and Micky Mellon's infectious personality is a tough mix to turn down:”The gaffer is so infectious and he demands the highest of standards, and I like that.
“I want to be the best I can be and go to the highest level I can, I've always said that. I hope this manager can improve my game and improve the whole club.
“He has already done that with the players that he has bought in and if we can achieve promotion then he's done his job and hopefully we, as a squad, have done our job.
“I've seen in training what good players we have here. Training is so much quicker, the tempo is higher we just need to take that into the league and make sure that we are flying come the start of the season.”
Connor now embarks on his fifth season playing first team football and he wants success with the club. He was part of the squad that won promotion two terms ago but didn't play enough games to be awarded a winners medal, something he wants to put right this season:”I didn't feel that as I wasn't involved much that season and wasn't even on the bench for that final game.
“I was buzzing for the club though and it was crazy to see that at 18 years old but I didn't feel part of it, I didn't get a medal as I didn't play enough games.
“This season I want to play games. I want to get promoted and make sure I have a medal come the end of the season.”