‘Immense’ Killian Phillips has been a real loan star for Shrewsbury

The youngster signed for the Shropshire side early in the January transfer window after securing a loan from Premier League club Crystal Palace until the end of the season.

In that time, he has been terrific for Salop, making 16 appearances and scoring three times, including the first goal in Salop’s devastating late 2-1 defeat on Tuesday evening against Plymouth Argyle.

He ran on to Luke Leahy’s reverse pass and fired into the top corner with real composure, and the Town boss was full of praise for the young man.

He said: “He has been immense for us on the pitch.

“We wanted Killian in at the beginning of the season, we just could not get him out then.

“It was a little bit like the Tyrese Fornah situation, we would have liked to have had Killian in at the beginning of the season, but it was something that we could not do.”

The energetic midfielder has been linked with a summer move to the Championship, with both Millwall and Luton Town reportedly interested in securing his signature.

He played such an important role in Salop’s successful run in January and February, which saw them win six League One games in succession.

The 21-year-old picked up a nasty blow to the head in Town’s 2-2 draw with Derby County after a clash of heads with Eiran Cashin, which meant he spent an evening in hospital.

But after a brief spell on the sidelines, he has been just as impressive after coming back into Cotterill’s midfield.

And the boss says it is the character of Phillips and the way he behaves that impresses him the most.

He said: “The best part of Killian Phillips is what he is as a lad, that is the best part of him. There is going to be a lot of good footballers out there and a lot of good athletes it is if you can marry that up with being a good person about it as well.

“He had that concussion injury that was arguably our worst concussion with how he was after the game.

“He was in the hospital, but he has come back really strong and got himself back out there. I think the loans this season have been incredible for the efforts they have given us the fitting in.

“We have been incredibly lucky with that.”

Phillips will be looking to get Shrewsbury back to winning ways at Bolton Wanderers today, as Town make the journey to Lancashire for their penultimate League One game of the season.