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With the transfer window opening in four days, Bulls News looks at the possible targets Graham Turner may have in mind.
With Stacy Coldicott a long term absentee, the midfield has been a man short all season and has been the butt of constant criticism from fans for its lack of creativity in successive games. Andy Ferrell, who saw a specialist over a knee injury and could be out for anything up to six weeks, will be sorely missed as well as bringing the midfield cover down to a minimum.
Speculation regarding a return of former midfielder Ben Smith has grown over the last month since Smith told the press he was looking to leave Shrewsbury in January rather than the summer.
Smith's career at Gay Meadow has been as injury plagued as his time at Edgar Street, but the creative midfielder has never really been replaced in the squad since taking a double-your-money offer to move up the A49. The player remains popular both on the terraces and within the dressing room with the remaining members of the squad that thrilled the crowds during the 2003-04 season. His wages, however, will prove to be a stumbling block to any deal with the Conference squad budgeting rules limiting any outlay Turner could offer and Weymouth, with a seemingly total disregard for their future, may be the only non-league club that will be able to match his League Two wages if the player cannot negotiate a suitable settlement with Shrewsbury.
With Darren Blewitt seemingly likely to leave in January, Turner will have lost a player that is probably the cheapest in the squad with West Ham continuing to cover the vast majority of the players wages. Blewitt arrived as a fourth centre back for a three man defence but, with the system currently abandoned, a direct replacement is unlikely with both Ryan Green and Alex Jeannin both capable of filling in where necessary. Turner would, however, be happy to keep a quality low cost player since it does not free up any significant sums in the budget to chase other targets.
A more likely place to reinforce is either wing role. Andy Williams proved against Forest Green that he is yet to be consistent enough to claim the wide right role, while Jon Brady or Rob Purdie may be better suited to the free role in midfield than the wide roles that they have occupied for most of the season. Aldershot's Nick Crittenden has been touted elsewhere as a target for Exeter in the transfer window but the player, who was linked to the Bulls before his move to Aldershot, may fit the bill at Edgar Street to link up with his former Yeovil team mate Adam Stansfield and provide additional creativity to the midfield.
Up front Turner is not short of options so is unlikely to look to strengthen with four of the five strikers having proven their use to the side, with only Graham Evans yet to prove his place in the squad from the limited chances he has had in the first team. Even Jon Brady has had brief spells up front during the early season injury crisis to decent effect. The Ipoua-Stansfield partnership has certainly flourished when given the supply from midfield. The more likely scenario is that one of the forward line is released in order to free up funds to strengthen the midfield.
In goal, the Mawson-Brown combination is probably the strongest goalkeeper line up the Bulls have had in the Conference and is unlikely to change. A permanent deal for Brown, again on League Two wages, is unlikely with Chester's stubborn refusal to allow him play cup matches an indication that they are looking to force the long serving and popular player out of the club.
Whatever moves Turner decides to make he has repeatedly stated that he only has space within the budgeting rules to bring in one player, so at least one departure is likely if Turner is to make the moves this article suggests.
