'My job is to find the next Tom Bloxham' - Gareth Ainsworth discusses the ex-Shrewsbury winger's departure

Bloxham, who came through the academy at the Croud Meadow, was a fan favourite in Shropshire, but Town cashed in on the 21-year-old last week as he was sold to the Tangerines.

The youngster had been a bright spark in what has been a difficult season to date with Salop sitting well inside the relegation zone just over midway through the campaign.

Shrewsbury still have a chance of staying in League One though. They have picked up 12 points from the 10 games that Ainsworth has overseen since he walked through the door and they have beaten Wrexham and Birmingham - two teams widely tipped for promotion to the Championship.

But the boss has admitted that losing Bloxham is likely to make that job harder due to the quality he possessed.

"Losing Tom is going to make it more difficult - without a shadow of a doubt," the head coach said reflecting on his departure.  

"But I think the boys have reacted brilliantly, and it's my job to find the next Tom Bloxham.

"Whether that's in the building or out the building, that's my job.

"I hope Tom has a brilliant career. He's a cracking lad, and he's done some really good stuff for me. I attribute some of the points to him, for scoring and coming on and helping. But we're never a one-man team.

"I'll get the next players in, the next exciting players. Just give me a chance."

Bloxham played more than 100 times for Salop in the third tier of English football, and his move to the seaside ended a seven-year association with Shrewsbury - five of which were spent in and around the first team.