Gaffer gives his thoughts on signing Stefan Payne on loan
Shrewsbury Town Boss Paul Hurst is delighted to have got his man after Town signed Stefan Payne on loan until the end of the season.Stefan joins from Barnsley where he has made seven Championship appearances this season after signing in the summer from non-league Dover Athletic.
Hurst had been tracking Stefan for a while and was pleased to finally get the deal done.
“I think I said last week that we had finished in the striking department and now we’ve brought in another striker”, smiled Paul.
“He’s someone we’ve been interested in for a very long time. Clearly I think a lot of him and we’ve certainly got competition now. I have given myself some headaches, but I do truly believe that with the options we have got we shouldn’t be short of attacking threat.
“Defensively since I’ve been here we’ve done well and if we can continue that, along with the players we’ve now got in attacking positions, I think that can only bode well for us.”
Stefan has been a consistent goalscorer at Non-League level and Paul is hopeful he can find that form at Shrewsbury.
“He’s got a bit of everything to his game”, said Hurst.
“He’s over 6 foot, he’s a strong boy, but he’s also very quick and holds the ball up. He can play in a wider position, at Dover he spent a lot of time playing wide left of a front three, which with the players I’ve now got gives me the option to do that.
“I paid interest in him when he went to Barnsley. He’s had an injury which has stopped his progress a little bit, but he’s been on the bench for them, come off the bench at times and I think he could be a very good player for us.”
With the new loan ruling players are no longer able to join on loan outside of the transfer window and Paul wants his squad to be ready for what the second half of the season has to offer.
“We’ve got to give ourselves every chance and what’s to say that two of those won’t get injured in training this week or next Saturday”, said Paul.
“It’s going to be difficult and there will be a couple of lads unhappy, but ultimately it’s about giving this club the best chance of getting results and that’s why I’ve done it.
“This just seemed too good an opportunity to turn down. Stefan certainly wasn’t short of options, in our league as well, so I’m pleased to have beaten off competition.”