Midfielder Signs Three-Year Deal With Championship Side
Shrewsbury Town can confirm that midfielder Ryan Woods has completed a transfer to Championship side Brentford on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.The 21-year-old progressed through the youth ranks at Town after being released by Walsall.
He made his first-team debut for Shrewsbury at home to Oldham Athletic at the end of the 2012/13 season while still a first-year youth scholar.
The following season he came into the side to make his first start, playing out of position at right-back. He did so well in the position he played the rest of the season there.
When manager Micky Mellon took over at Town he moved Woods to his preferred position in central midfield, and he continued to improve and held the position down for the whole of last season.
Wood again made the step up to League One last season and scouts have continued to watch him play and return to their clubs with glowing reports.
Micky Mellon spoke to the Club website this afternoon and can understand the interest that has surrounded Ryan for a while now.
"When you have players like Ryan who are so good and who have done so well then I think they are obviously going to have a lot of interest from other clubs," said Micky.
"Along with Goldson, Lewis and Ginnelly it shows that with hard work from the staff and the hard work and right mindset from these young players they can massively improve and thrive.
"Unfortunately at this time it will no longer be with us but we have to understand where we are in the food chain of football."
With Woods joining Connor Goldson, Josh Ginnelly and Harry Lewis in moves to higher-division clubs in recent weeks, it shows that Town are doing well developing young players.
Micky now believes the next step is for the club to continue its development.
"Though we have sold some young players, I will majorly stress that it makes us no less ambitious," he said.
"It is just that at this time the player’s progress has moved quicker than the football club's, so as long as the balance is right between the player’s opportunity and what the club receives financially for them then we have to accept if a player wants to go then there is not a lot you can do with it."
The Norton Canes born midfielder made nearly 100 appearances for Town in league and cup.
He made the step up to League One this season and performances against Blackburn and Crystal Palace in the Capital One Cup have seen him not look out of place.
"I have no doubt that Ryan will do fantastically well at Brentford, the same with Connor at Brighton, they have put in a lot of work both physically and mentally and they have improved," said Micky.
"I have spoken to them, and Josh and Harry, and said that it has been fantastic to watch over the 15 months that I have been here for the development of them and see them blossom into players who have been courted by Premier League and Championship clubs.
"Now players who want come here can see that opportunity, as can the players who are already here to go on the same pathway.
"With the improved facilities that are going to come we hope to have many more players come through, but in the short term I’ll be hoping to bring some new faces in."
Over recent seasons, Brentford have cemented their place in the Championship and with plans for a new stadium it should be a move that will continue to see Ryan develop.
"They’ve just sold a player for nine million pounds so that helps and they can now go and reinvest that money back into their squad," said Micky.
"There is absolutely no doubt they have got themselves a great footballer in Ryan Woods and one who will continue to improve and the fans of Brentford are in for a real treat because they are getting a terrific, young, exciting player who makes you smile when he plays."
Micky will now look to see if he needs to strengthen his Town squad.
He is looking at both the short and long term needs but believes the existing squad is well equipped for both of those.
"We believe that we have talented boys in the building who can step in and always in the back of our mind we have planned for this happening," said Micky.
"We have ideas of players who can come in to improve us in the short term to keep us moving forward.
"It’s not all doom and gloom, obviously I’m disappointed that we aren’t buying those sorts of players at the moment but I’m so proud of all them and the staff and the part they have played in their development.
"We are more than capable of holding our own at the moment but there is no doubt we need some extra pace and energy in the team in order to play the way we want to play.
"It’s now about continual development. Nothing will be hurried and we will give it a lot of thought on how we are going to improve the team.
"I am absolutely committed to bringing the type of player here that the Shrewsbury Town fans want to see play and give them the type of football that they want to come and watch.
"I want to stress that we have fantastic young players underneath players like Goldson and Woods who I expect to keep improving, a couple are away on international duty which is terrific. “