Luke Leahy will miss special Shrewsbury group
Luke Leahy says there is a tinge of sadness around Montgomery Waters Meadow now the season has finally concluded.
The Town squad showed on more than one occasion they are prepared to give everything no matter what is going against them.
But the squad of players, recruited by Steve Cotterill, played their final game together more than a week ago when they lost 1-0 at Lincoln.
The players and manager said throughout the season that you would not know which members of the Town squad were on loan and who were permanent players as they were all so committed to the Salop cause.
And Leahy says with the volume of time the players have spent together since they started pre-season they have formed a close bond.
Yes absolutely," when asked if the game against Lincoln was emotional.
"We have spent every day together since the first of July."
The skipper added: "It is sad, but we go through this every season as a footballer, teams come and go and players come and go too.
"This group this year has been very special and that game against Lincoln was the final time all the lads are together on the pitch."
It was a season of progression for Cotterill's men and it was their second-highest finish for 33 years – ending up 12th in League One – and they spent the majority of the season on the tails of those in the top six.
Killian Phillips, Rob Street, Christian Saydee, Carl Winchester and Taylor Moore – all loan players – made a huge impact.
But now with the season over it is time for the them to return to their parents clubs. Some are out of contract and others will go back with the aim of pushing for a first team place.
And Leahy was keen to praise them for their attitudes throughout their time in Shropshire.
"This group have given it all this season," the captain continued.
"You have seen that in the last couple of weeks when our backs have been up against the wall with not having many players through injury and that is a credit to everyone.
"Even the loan signings, I always say if someone came in not knowing who the loan signings are, you could not pick them out as that is a credit to them."
