Unselfish George Lloyd backed to make a mark at Shrewsbury Town

The youngster managed just two goals last season – both coming against Salop in their League One clash at Cheltenham on Boxing Day.

So what will he offer Town when he puts on the blue and amber shirt for the first time on August 10.

Cheltenham Town reporter for Gloucestershire Live, Jon Palmer, who has watched Lloyd for many years, says the 24-year-old has a lot to offer his new team.

He said: “I understand why there are some questions about his goalscoring record. Fans will look at how many goals he has scored first.

“Obviously he is a forward and he only got two goals last season but both of those were against Shrewsbury.

“His statistics, when you look at them on paper are not necessarily the most inspiring, but in terms of the work rate and all-around game, he is like having two players on the pitch because he works that hard.

“I reckon he is about 5’9 or 5’10 but the only defender who got the better of him last season was Joe Low from Wycombe. Every other defender Lloyd had the beating of them in the air.

“I didn’t see a single centre-half dominate him in the air.”

Lloyd can play anywhere across the front three, and Palmer even said he played at wing-back when the team needed him to at points during his time with the Robins. But one of his best skills is his leap, which he gets from being a former gymnast.

“He used to be a gymnast,” he continued. “He has this incredible sort of athletic leap, and he is one of the best people in the air, certainly for his size, that I have seen.

“He wins headers and covers an unbelievable amount of ground while being tidy with the ball.

“He has played on the wing, and also at wing-back for Cheltenham when they have needed him to, as well as playing behind the striker.

“He is not a penalty box man – that is not what he is about.

“That is the sort of area of his game that I am sure he would like to work but he has scored a lot of goals at youth level.

“His best position is centre forward with a goalscorer next to him. He will make chances for people.

“He has not been guilty of missing loads of chances, he is just a very unselfish striker.

“Lloyd will make room, make chances and lay the ball off to whoever it is that he is playing up front with Alfie May, Aiden Keena, Will Goodwin or Matt Taylor towards the end of last season – they had a developed a good partnership.”

Shrewsbury fans will have a good knowledge of former Town loanee Rob Street, who signed for Cheltenham last season, and Palmer said the two players are quite similar.

“I think he needs to play up front with someone,” he said.

“I don’t think Rob Street and Lloyd would have been a great partnership, but they are similar players. They are both the unselfish one, and they need to play up front with somebody who is going to convert chances.

“He does so much dirty work. He can play anywhere across the front three and wide. He is quite quick and very strong for his size.”