Tom Flanagan: I didn't settle for Shrewsbury
Tom Flanagan insists it is the prospect of enjoying his football – and not 'settling for Shrewsbury Town' – that brought him to Shropshire.
Experienced Northern Ireland international defender Flanagan, 30, was a deadline day arrival at Montgomery Waters Meadow from big-hitters Sunderland as Steve Cotterill boosted his backline.
Flanagan had been a regular in Lee Johnson's Black Cats side fighting for promotion from League One this term, until Johnson was sacked shortly before the end of the window. The stopper has impressed early on at Shrewsbury.
"I was really, really enjoying my football and I think that's why I was playing well, because I was really enjoying it, I really liked the manager," Flanagan said of his time under Johnson at the Stadium of Light.
"I know the manager here spoke to the previous assistant manager (Jamie McAllister) and that's how this came about, they were like 'this would be a good fit'.
"I'm just looking to be out there (playing) and enjoying it. There's loads of pressure in football people don't realise. Football isn't particularly hard, but playing with pressure is hard.
"The previous manager had done really well in taking the pressure off myself and others, we'd taken lots of young kids on, for them to make their mistakes.
"But he took the pressure off and playing without that made me really enjoy my football."
Flanagan, who is from London, has looked a cool customer on the left of Town's defensive three and is already enjoying life at the club.
"I've noticed that in the games here, I've really enjoyed it, every day, it's difficult to enjoy football sometimes and I think I'm in a headspace now, a club here where I can progress," he added.
"People will look and think 'oh he's settling for what he can settle for and will stay here and they'll play in League One' – but that's not what I'm thinking at all.
"I'm not from Shrewsbury, I've not come home to play football, but I just come here to enjoy my football and I think the more I do the more we'll move on as a group.
"That togetherness, once we're all enjoying it, we'll go in the right direction. People don't consider that as a factor, when it is a huge one. Do they enjoy the football? The system? Working with the manager? Coming to the training ground? Their living style? Would they commit to the area? It's such a nice area, why would you not?"
