Shaun Whalley hailed as fine Shrewsbury Town servant after 250th appearance
Shaun Whalley has been praised as a superb servant to Shrewsbury Town after finally clocking up his 250th appearance for the club.
The Town fans' favourite returned from four months on the sidelines with a serious thigh injury to finally mark the significant milestone in blue and yellow.
He was introduced as a substitute in the 85th minute by manager Steve Cotterill in Saturday's 2-1 home defeat to League One high-flyers Oxford United.
Whalley, 34, had been set to play his 250th game for the club in November at Cheltenham Town, but had pulled up with the injury in training just 48 hours before that clash. His last appearance was on November 10.
"That one has hovered around for a little while, he was on 250 before he pulled up in that session we had," manager Cotterill said.
"When he pulled up I knew he was set for his 250th appearance that Saturday and he would've got it.
"So he's had to wait a little while, it's obviously well deserved, he's been a fantastic servant for the football club.
"He's had to wait a while but congratulations on 250 appearances because it's a great milestone."
Town supporters offered their popular No.7 a booming reception and marked his 250th game for the club with a new banner in the colourful South Stand.
One of Whalley's newest Town team-mates, January deadline day signing Tom Flanagan, admitted he was taken aback when he discovered the landmark fixture that laid ahead of the attacker.
"I didn't know until Friday that was Shaun's 250th appearance," Flanagan said. "I said to Shaun after the game that, win, lose or draw, to play 250 games for a single club, especially this day and age as everyone is getting younger, is pretty impressive.
"There will be a handful of players and that really is the elite, he's a great servant.
"I've only known him for a short period of time while he's been injured, and he's been working to get back and to get out there, it doesn't matter if it's for five minutes or 10 minutes.
"But to reach that milestone is unbelievable and hopefully he'll play a good part until the end of the season and put chances away or create some for the lads, because that's what type of player he is."
