Mellon eager to start working with Deegan ahead of Pre-season
Manager Micky Mellon is looking forward to start working with his second signing of the transfer window as he will be readying the squad for the 2016/17 Sky Bet Football League 1 campaign.
Gary Deegan will be joining the squad members who were present on the retain list along with another new signing, Olly Lancashire, who has previously played Southampton, Walsall and Rochdale.
And Micky believes that Deegan’s history, at clubs like Coventry, Southend and Hibernian, should help the Shrews in their upcoming campaign and will primarily help the side defensively.
“He’s a player that I have known for a long time, from way back when he played for Hibs, in the Scottish Premier League,” said Micky.
“He caught my eye way back then and, because of the type of manager I am, I sort of watched him. He had spells at Coventry, Northampton and then Southend.
“Then, I actually was interested in him last season, when he was at Southend, but Southend weren’t keen on letting him go but he’s the midfield player that, I believe, we need.
“He’s a defensive midfield player that can sit in-front of the centre-backs, protect them, and he’s also a great leader, a winner and a great character and I am absolutely certain that, because of everywhere he has been, he’d been a great crowd favourite.”
Mellon admitted that one of the main floors throughout last season was the amount of conceded goals but Deegan should be able to help that factor and should even allow the other midfielders to be creative within their attacks.
“That’s the plan, it’s to be able to go and do that. One of my main concerns last season was losing too many goals,” said the manager.
“In-front of that back four, or five, we needed to be better and that’s where Deegan operates and that’s where he’s very good, he’s a great organiser, a great character and a massive winner.
“He’ll be tough on the players around him because he has high standards of himself and his teammates and he will get the most out of them so, again, really pleased to get him in.”
The manager also believes that the club needs some more character in the side and that has been a key factor in their scouting process and Deegan fits that bill.
“This season, we are recruiting players that have character, and part of the character we want is people who, when they lose games of football, it spoils their weekend and it means a lot to them and Gary Deegan falls right into that category,” said Mellon.
“He handles his levels comfortably well so it’s a good addition to the group both on and off the pitch.
“We are getting another character into the group, which I think is important, and we look forward to working with him and getting him going.
"I’m sure that the fans will enjoy him playing in a Shrewsbury Town jersey.”