Mike Jackson was today revealed as one of Paul Simpsons summer signing.

The experienced centre-half has joined on a free transfer after being released by Blackpool and put pen to paper on a 2 year deal with Town.

Jackson brings over 600 games experience with him and will help to bring on Simpson's young squad. He was with Blackpool last season as captain but an injury towards the end of the season kept him out of the Blackpool squad.

At the end of the season he was released by Blackpool and after a call late last week from Paul Simpson he decided to join up with Shrewsbury Town.

We spoke to Mike ahead of today's press conference and started by asking if it had been a tough decision to make: "It was is some ways but in other ways it wasn't a tough decision because as soon as I came to look at the place and saw what Town are doing and the calibre of players they are bringing in I knew my decision.

"It was tough to leave Blackpool but in the end I'm happy to have made the move to Shrewsbury."

Last season saw Jackson captain Blackpool in the Championship and to now be in the League 1 will be seen by some as a step down. He was disappointed to leave Blackpool and had offers from other clubs but in the end decided to join Town: "Obviously it's a step down in level, you can't get away from that but it's something that I had to think about.

"I played over 30 games in the Championship last year but got injured towards the end of the season and the gaffer at Blackpool then decided that he wanted to change everything about, which is fair enough.

"I had offers from a couple of other clubs but this move suited me and my family and I think I've made the right decision to come here."

Having played over 600 games and played in the Championship and League 1 some may question the move to Town. Mike is 34 years of age but he has no plans to ease out of the game and wants to continue to achieve and win things: "Every club I have ever been to has either been a play-off or got promoted; I've had 5 play-offs and 4 promotions.

"I've not come here just to sit about and play out the rest of my career and all that rubbish. I had the same said to me when I went to Blackpool and I lifted the League 1 trophy at Wembley months later.

"Anyone who knows me or knows anything about me will know that I am here to play football and to be successful, that's what I have always done and I want to continue doing that. "

He comes into a team which underachieved last season but has the nucleus of a good young squad. People talk about the balance of sides and Mike believes you need that blend of a few experienced heads and a number of young exciting players: "I know a few of the players here and have spoken to the manger who came across really well.

"With the players that the club has brought in already it shows an intent of what the club wants to do.

"I looked at the age of some of the players and it is a young squad but with young players you get things that a squad needs. You need experienced players to come in but you need that youthfulness in your team nowadays, you can't just have loads and loads of old players because it just doesn't work. You need that right balance and I think that's what the manager is trying to do here."

With the addition of Paul Murray, Grant Holt and Michael Jackson to the squad Simmo has brought an experienced and exciting spine to his side. The young lads have improved by playing games and gaining experience and this is something Mike thinks will continue: "Paul Murray, Grant Holt and myself have experience of playing at a higher level and hopefully that will help the younger lads along.

"The young lads will get better every year by playing the games in the league.

"I was in teams and it's taken a couple of years for that team to click, it was like that when I was at Preston and then all of a sudden the young lads clicked because they've been playing."

To finish with we asked Mike that good old question of describing what type of player he is: "I would say I'm physical, good at organising people around me and most of all I'm a winner.

"I want to win to win games, I hate losing and that's the same even in training and I hope it's no different here."