Three go in Town clearout

The January transfer window was wide open at Shrewsbury Town today - with THREE players taking the revolving door out of Oteley Road.

Utility man Danny Hall has signed for Scottish Premier League club Gretna, while left-back Neil Ashton and striker Michael Symes have both gone to Town's League Two rivals Macclesfield on loan for the rest of the season.

The trio of departures has opened the door for new faces to arrive in the coming days - and boss Gary Peters dropped hints this lunchtime that deals are close to completion.

On the decision to allow Ashton and Symes to link up with the Silkmen, Peters said: "They're both fringe players. Ashy has only had six starts and Symesy has only had a few.

"They're both our players and we think it might be good for them to go and get some games and play some football - especially Symesy. "At the moment we see both of them coming back to us at the end of the season."I'll keep in touch with Macclesfield and get videos of them playing. We hope Symesy really finds his touch again and, if he gets back to what he was doing, then we'd be delighted.

Symes has scored 11 League goals for Town.

"Macclesfield need a left-back and it suits us to let Ashy go and get some games. He's played about 150 games, which isn't bad for a 22-year-old, but he's been on the bench a bit lately and needs to be playing."

On Hall, the boss added: "We've done a deal with Gretna and we'll get 30 per cent of any sell on. They've taken over his contract.

"I feel it's a shame but it's probably the best thing for him and for the football club.

"In a way, he's too flexible. He can play too many positions, and that's probably been his downfall."

Peters has publicly admitted to missing out on a string of striking targets.

But he appears to be close to landing others, declaring: "We wouldn't be letting three lads go unless we thought we could get it covered, and in some cases we already have.

"We can't announce things until they're signed and sealed and I've got to be sure that they're better than what we're letting go."