A look back at the year that was 2015
Shrewsbury Town Football Club would like to wish all their supporters, families and friends a Happy New Year.2015 has seen us hit some fabulous highs with our return to League One being at the very top.
We have seen players move on, with the likes of fans favourites Connor Goldson and Ryan Woods both fulfilling their potential at playing with clubs who have Premier League ambitions.
Micky and his staff started their arduous journey to escape League Two back in the summer of 2014 and this year, down in Cheltenham, they achieved it with a 1-0 victory.
That day, remembered for its celebrations of promotion, was also a moment of reflection over the lives of the supporters the club had tragically lost that year, in fact, on that very day.
Colin Bloomfield, 33, loyal fan and reporter of Shrewsbury Town passed away in the early hours of that Saturday morning after a hard fought and well publicised battle with cancer. His love of Shrewsbury was unquestionable and both the press box is a much sadder place without him.
Lloyd Burton, aged just 11, lost his battle with cancer in April, had wowed such people as David Beckham and Jose Mourinho with his steely determination and inspiring personality.
And Nick Mann, 35, who bravely died whilst saving his brother on their way home from Town’s victory over Portsmouth. The applause during the Dagenham and Redbridge in his memory will be something Town fans will never forget.
Town have been making just as big an impact off the pitch as on it, with Shrewsbury Town in the Community spreading its good work further across Shropshire, with Wolves and current Wales star David Edwards recently becoming a patron of the charity.
Whether it be Jean-Louis giving French lessons to school children or conducting a disability sponsored walk, the Community staff have gone above and beyond their targets in offering football, education and participation to anyone and everyone in and around Shropshire.
The club have also continued to listen to our supporters and the start of this season saw the club return to its original club badge, featuring the loggerheads.
We’ve seen many players make their debuts for the club, and sadly we have seen players depart to take up the next chapter in their careers.
Long serving players like Ryan Woods and Connor Goldson have both departed with the clubs best wishes and have moved on to two clubs who are targeting a place in the Premier League as well as young goalkeeper Harry Lewis, who finds himself on the books at Premier League Southampton.
Our academy has continued to produce some top quality players and performances. Shaun Rowley, Kaiman Anderson and Ethan Jones have all signed pro-contracts with the club, having all helped Ian Dawes’ academy side lift the Shropshire Senior Cup with a win at rivals AFC Telford.
Whilst the club have seen mixed fortunes on the pitch towards the latter part of the year, the 2-1 win away at Crewe, which saw scenes of last minute jubilation amoungst the 1200 plus Shrewsbury fans in the away end, is something to inspire us all for an exciting New Year.
We would like to thank you all for your support, both past, recent and in the near future and wish you a very happy 2016.