Shaun Whalley 'immensely proud' of Shrewsbury Town legend tag

Shaun Whalley is responding to claims he is seen as a modern-day legend at Shrewsbury Town, given his seven-year service to the club.

The winger ended his memorable spell this summer, tied 34th in Town’s all-time record appearance list. His 257 outings left him level with Kelvin Langmead, meaning no player arriving since 2000 has achieved more.

It is a rare feat indeed. Football seldom sees such loyalty these days.

“I’ve had the best spell of my career at Shrewsbury for seven years and wouldn’t change it for the world, it was amazing,” Whalley says. “It’s really nice to hear other people say how well I’ve done for the team and club.

“That’s all you want wherever you go – or all I want to do.”

One thing the Liverpudlian achieved from early in his Town career – starting in 2015 under Micky Mellon – was a rapport with the fans. The chant of ‘we’ve got Whalley’ was never far away.

“Fans want to have a relationship with the players. I wanted to have a relationship with the fans,” he adds.

“It couldn’t have gone any better – unless we got promoted the season we got to the play-off final! It was a special time for me and I think everyone knows how much I love Shrewsbury.”

Whalley was finally able to mark a milestone 250th appearance for the club after a comeback from a frustrating long-term quad tendon injury. A banner was unveiled in his honour behind the goal.

Amazingly, via a quirk of fate from the football fixture Gods, Whalley will feature in Salop’s first home game of the season. An instant return, with Stanley on August 6, comes one day before his 35th birthday.

This time, Shrewsbury fans will hope they do not see the ‘J’ goal celebration, after Whalley’s son Jude.

“I’m an Accrington player now, I’ll always have that relationship with Shrewsbury fans and it’s something I’ll always cherish, they made my time at Shrewsbury unbelievable,” he says.

“But it’ll be strictly business when I turn up in an Accrington shirt.”

It was the King George V Playing Fields in Accrington, and not Sundorne Castle in Shrewsbury, this summer.

“It was a little bit strange,” Whalley, now with more than 600 career appearances and 120 goals behind him, admits.

“When you finish the season you know exactly the date you go back, stuff like that, you look at who the club have signed. But I didn’t know where I was going to end up, I’ve quickly settled back into it and the lads have all been great. I’ve known the manager a long time so it was pretty easy to speak to him again and get used to him.”

What of his exit? A Meadow bow out was a four-minute cameo as Wigan cantered to the title. But there is no bitterness involved.

“It’s football, players move on and go somewhere else,” Whalley says. “It was a little bit disappointing but I’m not looking at it with any bitterness – I’ve had an unbelievable seven years at Shrewsbury.

“In football that’s special and not many people stay at a club so long and especially enjoy good times as well.

“I only look at it with fondness, to be honest, there’s no disappointment with my time there, it was all been brilliant.”

The former No.7 had already enjoyed a moment to savour. A first goal since his injury return, a dipping, swerving, arching strike from miles out to earn a point at home to Ipswich in April.

He felt it would be a Meadow farewell goal. Whalley knew the end was nigh – though he was able to enjoy another goal against Doncaster later that month.

“It was unbelievable, it seemed like that my whole Shrewsbury career, everything was perfect, coming on as a sub with 20 minutes to go, 1-0 down,” Whalley recalls the moment.

“I’ve scored goals like that in the past, it was just a knock down, I don’t know what goes through my head I just knew I was going to hit it. I’m glad it swerved and went in the corner.

“It was a great feeling to run over to the fans. I thought it might be my last goal but then I scored against Doncaster a couple of weeks later. I’ve always enjoyed scoring goals, the Ipswich one felt special.”

Whalley is versatile, but he is a winger by trade. He will play any role required, but his best football for Town came on the right flank.

“It’s helped me improve as a player, I’d say that,” he says of playing different roles more recently under Sam Ricketts and Steve Cotterill. “But I’d say probably my best football was under Paul Hurst at right wing.

“I played right wing, even under John Askey in those few months, and I did well. I think I am a good striker and will score goals if I go up front.

“If I play for someone who is big and work off them I’m a good striker, but it’s helped me improve.”

Whalley reeled off memories of playing in ‘that’ Hurst side. Cited the Charlton away play-off leg as the best team performance he has been involved in, in which his mate Jon Nolan struck a wondergoal for the ages.

What’s to come? Whalley’s two years at Stanley will take him to 37, but he still has big plans. Fitness and suitors allowing, he would love to play on until aged 40. His old assistant boss Aaron Wilbraham did similar and his friend Kevin Ellison – ‘an inspiration’ – was playing in League Two aged 43 last season. Whalley was a late bloomer, but still topped running stats and is in supreme shape.

“To play until I’m 40? Yeah, I’d say so. I don’t see why I can’t,” he says. “I know Kevin Ellison and he’s done unbelievable, I think he’s 43 now.

“Alby (Town assistant Aaron Wilbraham) used to say a couple of times I’ll be able to play for a few more years.

“I think Kev Ellison is a big inspiration to me, he’s a different type of player – he’s a lot taller and left-footed! – but he’s a big inspiration to keep playing.

“Fortunately I’ve never had troubles with my knees, it’s always been a pulled muscle, but I’d do that at 19 and 20 too.

“It just depends how it goes. I’m looking at having a good couple of years.”

He adds: “People say ‘you’re a long time retired’, don’t they?

“I wouldn’t mind if I had to drop down the leagues to carry on playing, but only if it’s right for me and my family.

“I definitely think I can play at League One and then you might look down a league to League Two. Hopefully I’ve got two brilliant years to come at Accrington to look to finish higher than the last two years, where they’ve been incredible.”