Shrewsbury legend Dean Spink insists Dan Udoh needs physical strike partner

Udoh enjoyed a brilliant breakthrough season for Town this term as he led the goalscoring stakes with 16 goals to finish as top scorer for Steve Cotterill's side.

The striker signed from AFC Telford in 2019 had only previously managed four league goals in each of his first two Town seasons.

Now Spink, the hugely popular Town cult hero who scored more than 50 goals for the club in the 1990s, says he would like to see Udoh, 25, work off a powerful new addition to the Shrews' frontline.

"I watched a through games over the season, they've obviously got goals but I thought they could've got more goals," said Spink, who watched on a number of occasions as Town finished 18th in League One last term.

"The lad Udoh moves well, he's got good movement, maybe a big, tall lad up front could nod it back for him.

"He's very lively, he'll close defenders down, cut the ball out.

"I think all it needs is a good targetman next to him to get the ball down to him and he'll be on to it.

"He's proved he can score goals, I've seen the goals he's scored, he can score goals out of nothing.

"The way the team have worked, they've moved the ball in midfield, but I think sometimes there's no problem at all with that diagonal ball across."

Udoh has been linked with a Championship move but Town will be keen to hold on to one of their prized assets.

Should he stick around at Montgomery Waters Meadow, boss Cotterill is likely to look at at least one new forward recruit to compete with Udoh, 13-goal Ryan Bowman and exciting youngster Tom Bloxham, 18.

Goals were difficult to come by for Shrewsbury this season. They managed a haul of 47 in 46 games, only three clubs – all relegated – managed fewer.

"From what they see and as a fan you want to see more goals and the team do well," added Spink, who was a guest at last week's In The Stiffs live podcast event.

"But football is frustrating, things like that don't just come, they get worked on, it comes over a time.

"I've heard fans say 'we're brilliant' and then 'oh the football's been like this or that', but that's football."