Micky Mellon says Scott Vernon can leave
Scott Vernon has become the second Shrewsbury Town player to be made available in as many days as manager Micky Mellon looks to clear the decks.
The former Colchester, Aberdeen and Fleetwood striker failed to feature in last night's 2-0 friendly win at Kidderminster – one of three players to remain benched with youngster Darren McKnight and keeper Callum Burton.
And Mellon has confirmed the frontman has joined Mickey Demetriou in being made available for transfer as the Town boss looks to re-sign Jermaine Grandison and forward Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro this week.
"I've spoken to Scott and I've said to him that the opportunities to play here might not be there as much as he'd want," said Mellon.
"He knows he's available – we're always fair with people and he knows that.
"But he's under contract for another year and he can stay and fight for a place.
"He knows my preferred choice of the lads I want to play up front.
"There's no interest in him that we know of at the moment but I'm sure his agent is working very hard for him to try to resolve that.
"But he's a good guy and while he's here he will be treated the same as everyone else and if we need to use him, I'm sure he will be ready."
Asked if Demetriou and Vernon need to leave to finance new contracts for Grandison and Akpa-Akpro, Mellon said: "It's a little bit of that but there are other things going on behind the scenes that might happen for us as well."
Meanwhile, Mellon said he got the physical test he wanted in last night's win at Aggborough – sealed by strikes from front-runners Akpa-Akpro and James Collins.
"It was exactly the test I thought it was going to be and I was pleased to have got that," said the boss.
"It was very physical and direct and the tempo was higher than we had faced in the previous three games."
