Shrewsbury Town sign Bury right back Joe Riley

Town have also paid an undisclosed fee for the 24-year-old, who had 12 months left on his deal at Gigg Lane and has signed a two-year contract at the Greenhous Meadow.

It is the first time Salop have paid a fee for a player since splashing out £100,000 on Tyrone Barnett in January 2015.

The capture of Riley gives Town their only dedicated senior right back and would appear to signal an end to manager Micky Mellon's pursuit of Fulham's Jack Grimmer, who he wanted for a third spell.

Riley, who made exactly 50 League appearances for the Shakers, said working with Mellon had been a key factor in his decision to join Town.

"I know quite a bit about the manager from speaking to various people and that was a massive thing in me coming here," he told www.shrewsburytown.com.

"It definitely seems like a club on the rise. It was a tough decision to leave Bury. Having a promotion with a team is always good and it was hard to leave but I am here now and I can't wait to get going."

Riley added that the deal had been a long time coming - a fact his new manager confirmed.

"In football it never really happens in the order you want it to happen in," Mellon told www.shrewsburytown.com.

"You have got to be patient and if you are patient you will get the one that you want.

"I am really excited about getting down and working with him and he is definitely the type of player that I believe we need to be able to move the team forward."

The former Bolton player is familiar with Town, having played both fixtures against Salop last season, and he said Shrewsbury's busy transfer activity had encouraged the move to Shropshire.

"The recruitment was quite a big factor in me coming here," he said.

"I have seen the signings that have been made and it looks like a good squad is being assembled so it is great to be here."

Mellon added that he was confident the "technically very gifted" full back would work successfully with the new additions.

Riley scored his first senior goal for Bury against Town to end their six-match winning run in a 1-0 defeat in April 2015 which put the Shakers into the play-offs, and they eventually went up with Town.

"I think he will fit in really well with what we want to do next season and of course he has got great experience of playing at this level," the boss said.

"He has done very well and of course he scored that great goal against us which we won't let him forget about!

"He is a very attack minded full back and I believe he will come here and the fans will be very pleased with him."

Riley agreed with Mellon's analysis of his game.

"I am a right back but I can do a job at right midfield as well but I am definitely right hand side based. I have played there ever since I was a kid so that is the position I know," the full back said.

"If I can get a few goals I will be happy but the main thing for me is assists. I got five last year so I want to try and double that this year.

"That is a massive part of my game and I want to contribute to other people scoring goals."

Riley will be in familiar company at the Greenhous Meadow having also figured regularly alongside Town left back Junior Brown and then loanee Barnett during a 28-match loan spell with Oxford in League Two earlier in 2014-15.

The Salford-born full back started his career at Bolton but injuries held back his progress and he was restricted to just nine appearances in all competitions at the Macron Stadium.

He figured three times in the League, but they all came in the Premier League after making his debut in a 5-0 win against Stoke in November 2011.

Meanwhile, it is understood Town are also chasing another centre half after losing Nathaniel Knight-Percival.

James Wilson, who left Oldham on a free transfer this week, has held talks with Town and is believed to be the top target of Mellon.

Chief executive Brian Caldwell told www.shrewsburytown.com: "We've got a few irons in the fire.

"It's just a matter of picking off a few more Micky feels we need to strengthen."

As regards Knight-Percival, Mellon said: "Nat's played a big part in what we've achieved and I'd like to thank him for his hard work and dedication and wish him well."

A Shrewsbury Town staff XI will again pull on their cricket whites for a friendly against a Sentinel XI (formerly Reman Services).

Mellon and Co will appear at Sentinel's Albert Road ground in Shrewsbury next Friday (6pm).