Floreat Salopia: Season Review 2018/2019

My first season in charge of Shrewsbury Town is in the history books. I arrived at New Meadow in the summer of 2018, inheriting a team that had changed dramatically since losing the League One Play-Off Final just weeks earlier. Mounting another promotion charge would be a big ask for a rookie manager like me.

This post will recap how the Shrews got on over the course of the 2018/2019 season, tracking our progress in League One and the three domestic cups. I’ll also provide some statistics, as well as a development update on our younger talents, before laying out my plans for the upcoming transfer window. Finally, we’ll trawl through the various leagues and cups in England and elsewhere in a general season round-up.


LEAGUE ONE

After a mediocre pre-season, I couldn’t have got my first Shrewsbury campaign off to a more spectacular start. Lee Angol made an instant impact at New Meadow by scoring in his first five league games consecutively, and seven of his first eight. During that remarkable run, which sent us straight to the top of League One, our only blip was a last-minute defeat at Doncaster.

Reality started to bite when we lost to Scunthorpe before barely beating struggling Gillingham. We then conceded late equalisers against Walsall and Accrington, kicking off what proved to be a frustrating October. After a month which saw us only record one league win (against Sunderland, of all teams), we dropped to 4th place and were already some way adrift of Barnsley and Burton.

Angol’s goalscoring slowed down during this point, though he still got a valiant late double at home to Barnsley, albeit when we were already 4-0 down. That crushing defeat would be the only one we suffered at New Meadow in the league all season. It also highlighted our defensive frailties, which still proved problematic in November.

More disappointment came when we threw away leads against Wimbledon and Rochdale, and it seemed that we would soon lose our play-off place. The turning point came when young right-winger Alex Gilliead inspired us to a 3-1 win at Wycombe, before we shut out Plymouth for our first clean sheet in over two months.

Burton’s high-flyers roasted us in December, though we went into Christmas off the back of two straight victories. Those conquests of Peterborough and Coventry helped consolidate our top-six position, which was just as well. A Boxing Day defeat at Accrington and a narrow escape against Sunderland meant we ended 2018 on a somewhat sombre note.

2019 brought new life to the team. Angol and Gilliead were back to their goalscoring best when we took 13 points from a possible 15 in January, though we did have a few hairy moments. Lee was now on 21 goals and looked set to collect League One’s Golden Boot if he could continue his fine form.

He couldn’t. February was a month to forget, with the one high point perhaps being a creditable goalless draw with Burton. We had hit our lowest ebb a week earlier. A stunning long-distance hat-trick from on-loan midfielder Greg Docherty put us 3-1 up at Bristol Rovers, but two injury-time strikes by Alex Jakubiak saw Rovers fight back to win 4-3.

We did return to winning ways in March, seeing off Wimbledon 3-1 despite a red card for new signing James Collins. Our home form remained solid in the latter half of the season, though our away record was very inconsistent. Had we shown rather more composure on our travels, we could have pipped Burton to automatic promotion, but we had to make do with a place in the play-offs instead.

We lost the first leg of our Semi Final 2-1 at Oxford, thanks in part to a bizarre own goal from left-back Brendan Galloway. Home midfielder Samir Carruthers later added a second goal before Shrews veteran Shaun Whalley nabbed a consolation.

Gilliead quickly remedied the situation at New Meadow, where we took the O’s to extra-time. Though Carruthers restored Oxford’s aggregate lead in the second extra half, a last-minute equaliser from that man Angol appeared to have saved us. Then, just as penalties were looming, Gavin Whyte broke our hearts by driving in the goal that sent United to Wembley as 4-3 winners. We would be staying in League One for another season.


FA CUP

We were lucky not to suffer an embarrassing Round 1 exit at the hands of National League Dover. Gilliead’s late equaliser in Kent sent us to a replay at New Meadow, where left-winger Arthur Gnahoua eased any fears of an upset. A 3-1 win put us through to a Round 2 meeting at Wimbledon, where Abobaker Eisa‘s early goal proved to be for nothing in a 2-1 defeat.


EFL CUP

Our EFL Cup charge quickly went down in flames at Championship side Bristol City. Both teams held the lead in a thrilling contest, which came down to penalties. Unfortunately, it was Shrews vice-skipper Omar Beckles who missed the decisive spot-kick as City prevailed 5-4.


EFL TROPHY

We took maximum points in our Pointless Trophy group, though we had to do it the hard way, coming from behind to see off Sunderland and then Macclesfield. That resilience was not on display in Round 2, when Beckles had a defensive nightmare and Doncaster ran rampant. Our second home loss of the season would also be our last.


AWARDS & STATISTICS

Our fans went for entertainment when it came to choosing their Player of the Season. Charlie Colkett‘s playmaking abilities – which produced 15 assists – saw him take the big prize, as well as the Young Player of the Season award.

An average rating of 7.09 might not have been much to write home about, but Colkett could still thrill the Salop faithful with his silky and incisive passing. The young Londoner’s contract at Chelsea expires in the summer, and I would be happy to turn this loan deal into something more permanent. You might not have seen or heard the last of Charlie at New Meadow.

There was a point early in the season when Angol looked like he would run away with the fans’ vote, such was his relentless scoring form. His form sharply declined from February onwards, though, and he thus had to make do with 2nd place. Also on the podium was our other double-digit scorer – right-winger Gilliead.

Defensive midfielder Ollie Norburn only scored one goal this term, but it was so spectacular that it was named as our Goal of the Season. It came at home to Wycombe in March, when he volleyed in a defensive clearance from something like 30 yards out. That was the second goal in what proved to be a 3-0 second-half rout.

Angol and Gilliead were amongst countless contenders for our Signing of the Season, but the fans instead opted for one of my January purchases. Centre-back Kyle Howkins had been quietly impressive since his £90,000 move from West Brom, settling into first-team duties much quicker than anticipated. If the 23-year-old can build on his promising early form, he could be set for a long career with the Shrews.

It was disappointing that Colkett, Angol and Gilliead were the only Shrewsbury players to get average ratings of 7.00 upwards while playing at least 20 matches. Beckles came very close on 6.99, but it just went to show how we struggled for consistency, by and large.

We were particularly erratic on the road, winning eight and losing 11 of our 23 away matches. When it came to away form, we ranked 10th in League One. In contrast, our home record placed us 2nd behind only Burton – and only by a couple of points. For the record, we won 15 league matches at New Meadow, drew seven, and lost just the one against Barnsley in October.

We scored an impressive 94 goals across all competitions, and our league haul of 77 was bettered (quite comprehensively) only by Barnsley and Scunthorpe. Angol (24) and Gilliead (14) were our aforementioned leading scorers, though Gnahoua and Aaron Amadi-Holloway also caught the eye with nine goals apiece. In fact, all our senior midfielders and forwards found the net at least once, with only Amadi-Holloway failing to register an assist as well.

Colkett was one of six players in League One to finish top of the assists chart, with 13. Just behind them on 11 assists were another three players, including Gilliead. Charlie and Alex were our chief creators, though I had expected a bit more from Docherty and Whalley on that front.

While you won’t find any Andrés Iniestas in the English lower leagues (or indeed in FM19 at all, but that’s another story), we did have a pass master among our ranks. Norburn recovered from a shaky, ill-tempered start to his Shrews career and achieved a pass completion ratio of 87%, ranking him amongst the division’s top 20. The 26-year-old hardman also averaged more tackles won per 90 minutes than any other Salop player, at 2.48.

Though we appeared to be a bit vulnerable at the back at times to me, only four teams in League One let in fewer goals. Joel Coleman‘s 14 clean sheets were enough to rank him joint-third in the division, trailing only Fleetwood’s Alex Cairns and Barnsley’s Adam Davies. Notably, in the 10 competitive matches that Coleman sat out, neither Danny Coyne nor Cameron Gregory managed a single shut-out between them.

One area where our defence did excel was in the air. Winning 62% of our headers, we finished 3rd in the league on that count, while Beckles also ranked 3rd individually on key headers. When it cames to fouls conceded, we were the division’s third-cleanest team, with only Blackpool and Southend troubling the referee’s whistle less often.

Our average home league attendance of 8,132 was a significant improvement on last season’s. The 9,875-capacity New Meadow was sold out for its final two matches of the campaign against Walsall and Oxford. If we can have another impressive year and keep the crowds coming in, the issue of a stadium expansion might possibly rear its head.


DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Youth development will gradually become an important part of this story. In this section of the season review, I’m going to summarise the progress of some of our hottest prospects, as well as those younger players who’ve been out on loan.

Writing in the story preview, I said that I would aim to develop at least one youth product into a first-team regular per season. Strictly speaking, that hasn’t happened this season, largely because we didn’t have any homegrown youngsters who were ready.

Teenage midfielder Ryan Barnett made 13 appearances, including five starts in cup competitions, and a full EFL debut on the final day of the regular season. Ryan’s a hard-working playmaker with significant potential, but his development this season has not been as quick as I was hoping for. The plan for next season is to loan him out – probably to a National League or low-end League Two side – to give him regular first-team action.

A loan spell might also beckon for goalkeeper Gregory, who was ever-present in the EFL Trophy but didn’t keep a clean sheet. Other youngsters who’ve made multiple first-team appearances this season include defenders Zac Hartley and Ryan Millington, who aren’t yet ready for regular action amongst the men. They’ll spend another year in the Under-18s before we consider their next steps.

Striker Jamaine Turner and midfielder Ryan Grosvenor both played consistently well for our Under-18s and got a substitute outing apiece in the league. Another middleman – Danny Hughes – made a quick impact in the Under-18s after coming through our first youth intake. I’ve become more excited about Danny, as although his Determination has decreased a little, his personality has changed from ‘Realist’ to ‘Spirited’. He’s a boy who can handle pressure.

Lifumpa Mwandwe is the player I think is most likely to break through into the senior side next term. The 18-year-old Anglo-Zambian striker scored seven goals in 14 games during his four-month loan at Harrogate, helping them to avoid relegation from the National League. Fumpa is a pacey player with decent dribbling and finishing attributes, so he could soon be pushing for regular first-team action.

I’ve also been impressed by John McAtee, who was amongst the National League South’s top scorers with 14 goals for Torquay. The deep-lying forward will likely go on loan again, to a higher-level club. Right-back Ryan Sears made solid progress at Boreham Wood and could soon be playing regularly in League Two. So too could centre-half Zak Jules, whose contract has been extended for another year after some brave performances for Solihull Moors.


TRANSFER PLANS

Roland Wycherley and the Shrewsbury board have given me a playing wage budget for next season of £57,000 per week. That is actually a bit less than I had this term, and pretty close to what I’m paying my squad quite now.

However, I’ve been given plenty of wiggle room, with the board beefing up my transfer budget to a cool £470,000. Naturally, I won’t spend it all in one window, instead prioritising loan signings and free transfers. Our bank balance is around £1.2million, which is pretty secure by League One standards, and I plan to keep it that way.

I’ll definitely need at least two goalkeepers. As I’ve said before, Danny Coyne has now decided to focus on coaching, having played professionally for much longer than many of his team-mates have been alive. Coleman won’t return to New Meadow for a second season, as Huddersfield want him to play with better players. My plan is to bring in another promising young custodian as my new number 1, and a more experienced man as his backup.

Josh Emmanuel is heading back to Ipswich, so a right-back is also on my shopping list. While James Bolton is very well-rounded for a backup, I’m sure we can upgrade on him. On the left, I’ll try to get Galloway in on loan for a second season from Everton. Yes, Brendan does have mistakes in his game, but he also has great quality and really should be starting regularly for a top team in the Championship, let alone League One.

We need a fourth centre-back to complement Beckles, Howkins and Collins. Above-average attribute scores in Composure and Concentration are important after this season’s struggles. I’ve identified two experienced out-of-contract defenders who were playing in the Scottish Premiership this term, but they’re a tad expensive when it comes to wages. If I can’t find any cheaper long-term options, I’ll probably delve into the loan market instead.

There might not be too many drastic changes in midfield. I already know that Docherty is returning to Rangers and will be replaced as our box-to-box midfielder with Bryn Morris, who enjoyed a productive season-long loan at Wycombe. I will offer a long-term contract to playmaker Colkett, as previously mentioned, though I’m not sure if defensive midfielder Anthony Grant warrants new terms.

I’m also 50:50 on whether to extend Whalley’s contract. He’s still only 31 and still has pretty strong attributes for an EFL right-winger, but with Gilliead now established in the starting XI, it might be time for Shaun to leave. In terms of the left wing, Abobaker Eisa is definitely being released, but Gnahoua will stay on as a deputy to a new inside-forward. There is one man in particular whom I would love to bring back to New Meadow.

And lastly, we have the frontmen. We’re fine for target man, with Scotsman Robbie Muirhead having already agreed to replace the departing Lenell John-Lewis as a rival to Amadi-Holloway. While Angol remains our number 9 for now, Mwandwe will be promoted to the first-team to rival him and a third striker. I am quite tempted to cash in on Fejiri Okenabirhie (if possible) and bring in an upgrade.


SEASON ROUND-UP

To conclude every Season Review, I will round up the goings-on in the English leagues, with all the tables and managerial movements from the top four divisions. There’ll also be a quick run-down on who won what in the other major leagues and cup across Europe and beyond.

The Premier League’s biggest story surrounded holders Manchester City, who collapsed in spectacular fashion after their record-breaking 100-point season. Some unconvincing results saw the Citizens rapidly lose ground on frontrunners Liverpool. Pep Guardiola lost the dressing room, and then his job, on Boxing Day.

Rafa Benítez – who had been overachieving with Newcastle’s meagre resources – was soon drafted in as City’s ‘interim’ manager. Instead of revitalising the champs, Rafa’s appointment only worsened the atmosphere, and the Sky Blues ultimately plummeted to 11th – their worst PL finish since 2006/2007. They also lost the EFL Cup Final to Crystal Palace, earning their retiring manager Roy Hodgson his first trophy in English football.

City did salvage something from the wreckage of their season, dramatically beating Manchester United on penalties to win the FA Cup – and a place in next season’s Europa League. However, that was not enough to save Benítez, who was shown the door after only four months. The Citizens’ new manager for next season will be Carlo Ancelotti, who has been succeeded at Napoli by… Pep Guardiola!

All that chaos overshadowed what was a truly memorable season for Liverpool. Teams across England and Europe just could not cope with Jürgen Klopp’s gegenpressing style of football. After a surprise loss at Watford in mid-September, the Reds did not lose another PL game and sauntered to their first English league championship since 1990. 15-goal Sadio Mané was named PFA Player of the Year, with tenacious midfielder Naby Keïta taking the FWA Footballer of the Year prize.

The Reds’ finest hour-and-a-half came in Madrid on 1 June. Mohamed Salah gave them the lead just seven minutes into the Champions League Final against Juventus. Roberto Firmino’s second-half double, which sandwiched a Virgil van Dijk free-kick, earned Liverpool a 4-0 win and their sixth European title. Despite seeing his hopes of winning a fourth successive CL dashed, Cristiano Ronaldo took the disappointment quite well.

Tottenham finally moved into their £1billion cheese emporium just before Christmas, and then finished a distant 2nd in the PL behind Liverpool. Also in the top four were Manchester United (who somehow didn’t implode in José Mourinho’s third season) and Chelsea (who somehow didn’t sack Maurizio Sarri).

Arsène Wenger spent the best part of 22 years at Arsenal, but his successor only stayed for one. Having failed to guide the Gunners back into the Champions League, Unai Emery quicky hot-footed it to Barcelona. His successor Zinedine Zidane has inherited the PL’s joint-top scorer in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose 19-goal haul was matched only by Crystal Palace’s Jordan Ayew. Yeah, I can’t figure that one out either.

FM-sponsored Watford finished 6th, though with both cups going to bottom-half teams, they missed out on Europe. Meanwhile, it was a miserable season for Leicester, who were relegated just three years after producing the mother of all Premier League fairytales. Cardiff and Fulham went straight back to the Championship as well, with Leeds, Blackburn, and Frank Lampard’s Derby™ coming up to replace them.

PREMIER LEAGUE
CLUB MANAGER OUT DATE MANAGER IN DATE
Leicester Claude Puel
(sacked)
9 Dec Sam Allardyce 23 Dec
Man City Pep Guardiola
(sacked)
26 Dec Rafa Benítez 7 Jan
Newcastle Rafa Benítez
(to Man City)
7 Jan Marcelo Bielsa 15 Jan
Man City Rafa Benítez
(sacked)
19 May Carlo Ancelotti 1 Jun
Wolves Nuno Espírito Santo
(sacked)
22 May Carlos Corberán 5 Jun
Cardiff Neil Warnock
(retired)
27 May Tony Mowbray 10 Jun
Arsenal Unai Emery
(to Barcelona)
31 May Zinedine Zidane 14 Jun
Crystal Palace Roy Hodgson
(retired)
6 Jun Barak Bachar 20 Jun
CHAMPIONSHIP
CLUB MANAGER OUT DATE MANAGER IN DATE
Norwich Daniel Farke
(sacked)
3 Nov Carlos Corberán 21 Nov
Hull Nigel Adkins
(sacked)
24 Nov Francesco Guidolin 16 Dec
Middlesbrough Tony Pulis
(sacked)
8 Dec Steve McClaren 22 Dec
QPR Steve McClaren
(to Middlesbrough)
22 Dec Jaap Stam 7 Jan
Sheff Wed Jos Luhukay
(sacked)
1 Jan Nigel Pearson 8 Jan
Swansea Graham Potter
(sacked)
12 Jan Ole Gunnar Solskjær 1 Feb
Leeds Marcelo Bielsa
(to Newcastle)
15 Jan Juande Ramos 24 Jan
West Brom Darren Moore
(sacked)
16 Feb Lee Johnson 3 Mar
Bristol City Lee Johnson
(to West Brom)
3 Mar Steve Bruce 19 Mar
Stoke Gary Rowett
(sacked)
9 Mar Chris Wilder 25 Mar
Sheff Utd Chris Wilder
(to Stoke)
25 Mar Tony Pulis 9 Apr
Bolton Phil Parkinson
(sacked)
6 Apr John Coleman 27 Apr
Reading Paul Clement
(sacked)
29 May David Moyes 12 Jun
Norwich Carlos Corberán
(to Wolves)
5 Jun Aitor Karanka 18 Jun
Blackburn Tony Mowbray
(to Cardiff)
10 Jun Tim Sherwood 18 Jun
Nottm Forest Aitor Karanka
(to Norwich)
18 Jun Nigel Clough 24 Jun
LEAGUE ONE
CLUB MANAGER OUT DATE MANAGER IN DATE
Sunderland Jack Ross
(sacked)
23 Oct Roberto Di Matteo 7 Nov
Gillingham Steve Lovell
(sacked)
27 Oct Paul Hurst 10 Nov
Bristol Rovers Darrell Clarke
(sacked)
21 Nov Simon Grayson 6 Dec
Bradford City David Hopkins
(sacked)
24 Nov Tim Sherwood 9 Dec
Blackpool Terry McPhillips
(sacked)
27 Nov Paolo Vanoli 13 Dec
Doncaster Grant McCann
(sacked)
2 Dec Gary Megson 17 Dec
Portsmouth Kenny Jackett
(sacked)
2 Feb Andy Scott 16 Feb
Charlton Lee Bowyer
(sacked)
2 Feb Chris Powell 24 Feb
Southend Chris Powell
(to Charlton)
24 Feb Mark Warburton 11 Mar
Gillingham Paul Hurst
(sacked)
16 Mar Darrell Clarke 1 Apr
Accrington John Coleman
(to Bolton)
27 Apr David Adams 19 May
Coventry Mark Robins
(sacked)
5 May Alan Pardew 5 Jun
Blackpool Paolo Vanoli
(sacked)
12 May Mick McCarthy 25 May
Bradford City Tim Sherwood
(to Blackburn)
18 Jun Kenny Jackett 25 Jun
Burton Nigel Clough
(to Nottm Forest)
24 Jun Jos Luhukay 1 Jul
LEAGUE TWO
CLUB MANAGER OUT DATE MANAGER IN DATE
Exeter Matt Taylor
(sacked)
3 Nov Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink 21 Nov
Bury Ryan Lowe
(sacked)
3 Nov Michael Appleton 22 Nov
Mansfield David Flitcroft
(sacked)
10 Nov Gary Bowyer 27 Nov
Swindon Phil Brown
(sacked)
27 Nov Darren Ferguson 14 Dec
Morecambe Jim Bentley
(sacked)
2 Dec Danny Wilson 21 Dec
Northampton Keith Curle
(sacked)
8 Dec Richie Wellens 2 Jan
Cheltenham Michael Duff
(sacked)
5 Jan Liam Rosenior 12 Jan
Grimsby Michael Jolley
(sacked)
2 Feb Kevin Nolan 18 Feb
Stevenage Dino Maamria
(sacked)
16 Feb Billy McKinlay 8 Mar
Exeter Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
(to De Graafschap)
9 Jun Paul Heckingbottom 16 Jun
NATIONAL LEAGUE

Promoted: Dover (1st), Salford (Play-Off winners).
Also in Play-Offs: Leyton Orient, Bromley, Boreham Wood, Chesterfield, Barnet.
Relegated: Maidenhead, Braintree, Havant & Waterlooville, Barrow.

NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

Promoted: York (1st), Blyth (Play-Off winners).
Also in Play-Offs: Stockport, Chorley, Darlington, Kidderminster, Ashton Utd.
Relegated: Nuneaton Boro, FC United, Bradford PA.

NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

Promoted: Billericay (1st), Chelmsford (Play-Off winners).
Also in Play-Offs: Torquay, Dulwich Hamlet, Hampton & Richmond, Welling, Bath.
Relegated: Eastbourne Boro, Oxford City, Hungerford.

Promoted to National League North/South: Farsley, Gosport, Kingstonian, King’s Lynn, Merthyr, Whitehawk.

ENGLISH CUPS

FA Cup: Man City 0-0 Man Utd (9-8 penalties).
EFL Cup: Crystal Palace 2-1 Man City.
Community Shield: Man City 1-1 Chelsea (4-3 penalties).
EFL Trophy: Charlton 1-0 Sunderland.
FA Trophy: Wrexham 2-0 Hartlepool.

EUROPEAN COMPETITIONS

Champions League: Liverpool 4-0 Juventus.
Europa League: Betis 2-1 Lazio.
Super Cup: Real Madrid 2-0 Atlético Madrid.

Belgian Pro League: Club Brugge (1st), Anderlecht (2nd), KRC Genk (3rd).
Dutch Eredivisie: Ajax (1st), PSV (2nd), AZ (3rd).
French Ligue 1: PSG (1st), Marseille (2nd), Monaco (3rd).
German Bundesliga: FC Bayern (1st), RB Leipzig (2nd), Schalke 04 (3rd).
Italian Serie A: Inter (1st), Juventus (2nd), Milan (3rd).
Portuguese Primeira Liga: Benfica (1st), Porto (2nd), Sporting CP (3rd).
Russian Premier League: Spartak Moscow (1st), Zenit (2nd), CSKA Moscow (3rd).
Scottish Premiership: Rangers (1st), Aberdeen (2nd), Celtic (3rd).
Spanish La Liga: Real Madrid (1st), Real Sociedad (2nd), Atlético Madrid (3rd).
Turkish Süper Lig: Beşiktaş (1st), Galatasaray (2nd), Başakşehir FK (3rd).

INTERNATIONAL & GLOBAL COMPETITIONS

Club World Cup (in UAE): Real Madrid 1-0 Boca (after extra time).

2019 Asian Cup (in UAE): South Korea 1-1 Australia (5-3 penalties).
2019 UEFA Nations League (in Portugal): Portugal 3-1 France.
2019 Copa América (in Brazil): Uruguay 1-0 Brazil (aet).
2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup (in United States): Mexico 8-0 Honduras.
2019 Africa Cup of Nations (in Cameroon): Ivory Coast 3-0 Cape Verde.


And that’s a wrap for the first season of “Floreat Salopia”. Despite that agonising end to our promotion dreams, it’s been a campaign to remember, though I’m hopeful 2019/2020 will bring better fortunes to New Meadow. Shrewsbury are a club on the up, and I hope you’ll stick around for the next chapters of our adventures.