In Both Camps; Shrewsbury Town

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Not a lot of players have been in both camps, but a few of course. Most recently Kanya Leshabela spent time on loan at Shrewsbury Town from Leicester, during the 2021/22 season, playing a modest 3 league appearances.

You have of course more prominent players in the past to have been in both camps an also a few on the coaching staff, as we have to mention Nigel Pearson and Steve Cotterill. Pearson played for Shrewbury from 1981 to 1987, adding up 153 league apperances, scoring 5 goals.

Arthur Rowley is an icon in both camps, being a top goalscorer during the 1950’s, hammering in for Leicester (251 goals in 303 league appearances) and later both player and manager at Shrewsbury during a 10 year tenure, 1958 to 1968, 152 goals in 236 league appearances.

Jim Melrose was the pivotal signing for Leicester when they in 1980-81 had returned to what we used to call 1st division. Jock Wallace paid Partick Thistle £250.000 for the Scotland U.21 international. He was later sold / switched to Coventry, playing a total of 72 league games and scoring 21 goals while on the books at Leicester from 1980 to 1982.

Wayne Clarke, one of two brothers to have played for Leicester, Wayne having a high price tag, coming to Leicester in 1989, 20 years after his brother Allan Clarke left Leicester to join Leeds. Clarke had a short stay at Leicester moving to Man City, after just 11 league games played, scoring 1 goal. Clarke was part of the Everton team that in 1986-87 won the league, later a league winner of level 4 for Shrewsbury in 1993-94. Clarke played a total 59 league games, scoring 22 goals over two year period from 1993 to 1995. This was Clarke’s 2nd spell at The Meadow as he had earlier spent time on loan at the club during his days at Man City.

James Wesolowski joined Leicester academy, coming in from “down under” seen as a special talent. He made his debut in the Leicester first team at the age of 18, playing four seasons from 2006 to 2010, adding up a total of 46 league games, before moving to new adventures. After spells at Peterborough and Oldham he turned up at Shrewsbury in 2014, playing 26 league games in two seasons, scoring 1 goal. Later moving into non-league competition.

Goalkeeper Chris Weale joined Shrewsbury from Leicester in 2012. He was first team choice in both camps, adding up 75 league appearances at Leicester and later playing 81 league games for Shrewsbury, before returning to Yeovil Town and Huish Park.

One of Leicester’s finest goalscorers in the 50’s and early 60’s, Derek Hines, made a move to Shrewsbury, playing at The Meadow from 1961 to 1962, scoring 5 goals in 16 games. He had previously played 299 league games for Leicester, scoring 116 goals.

Players in both camps,

Goalkeepers
- Chris Weale
Defenders
- Julian Watts
Midfield
- Pat O’Toole
- James Wesolowski
- Kanya Leshabela
- Kevin Jobling
Forwards
- Jim Melrose
- Wayne Clarke
- Arthur Rowley
- Derek Hines
- Tom Bloxham