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He's a hustle-and-bustle merchant who is there to create space for the other attacking players whilst nicking a goal or two along the way.

Whether he'll be good enough at that sort of a job for League One, especially after a long lay-off, is probably doubtful to say the least. And that's coming from somebody who defended him because I thought he did a good job for us.

Hurst really does rate that lad!!

He has his merits and Hurst likes him. Expect Shrews fans will be checking his scoring record and not being too impressed.

Nobody saw that one coming ;D I don't think I would really be bothered about having him here in league 2 never mind league 1

I was getting excited, I thought he'd re-signed for us.

I must say I always half expected this from the moment they appointed Hurst.

When used right, he was a very effective player, and hurst has got the best out of him before, so he could do it again.

He's had a terrible injury and a lot depends on how he recovers. He is a player whose game needs top fitness. Anything is possible. Andrew recovered from his injury OK. Lewis was never the quickest though and if he's lost any pace at all he won't achieve much in L1.

Playing at least one league above his level in L1 and coming back from a shocking ACL injury this signing looks a massive risk to me. I hope Shrews fans aren't expecting too much next season if this is the calibre of their recruits. Hurst makes me laugh - no imagination at all.

Yep Lenny definitley got summat on Hurst.

If he has not lost his strength he is a useful target man who can hold the ball up,

Having said that I can not see him scoring many goals and the Shrew fans will wonder why Hurst thinks so much of him.

You've got the nail on the head though Pete, who was actually a very good hold up man for another striker, the problem was he was our main striker for much of the season. As soon as Palmer arrive, I think he showed his quality. Watch the highlights of the second leg of the eastleigh play off game and he was central to everything. He'll only be on small wages, and if they can get a goalscorer alongside him, he'll do well.

Shrewsbury fans will know they won't be amongst the favourites in league one, as will Hurst.

What they will get is a side based on a solid defence and with strong work ethic. They know they will be under pressure for long periods but if they can get the ball forward they have a player who will hold it up and provided they have some pace they will be able to counter attack well.

Ideal signing imo

Quoted from chaos33

Playing at least one league above his level in L1 and coming back from a shocking ACL injury this signing looks a massive risk to me. I hope Shrews fans aren't expecting too much next season if this is the calibre of their recruits. Hurst makes me laugh - no imagination at all.

Indeed, but he certainly had a management style with his teams. Generally solid at the back. Boring but effective I would say. Managed to keep Shrews up when they looked pretty much fooked before Hurst took over

Surprised PH hasn't got better players in his sights. I was thinking of backing Shrews for the play-offs in the summer but I don't think I'll bother now unless he's fifth choice ahead of four good strikers!

I would have signed him for us tomorrow-he's the type of player we missed last season-100% effort-frightened of no-one

Hope the lad regains his full match fitness.

Quoted from GTFC_85

Indeed, but he certainly had a management style with his teams. Generally solid at the back. Boring but effective I would say. Managed to keep Shrews up when they looked pretty much fooked before Hurst took over

the football we played under hirst was far better than the football we played under MB, at least we kept it on the deck with PH.

Quoted from golfer

I would have signed him for us tomorrow-he's the type of player we missed last season-100% effort-frightened of no-one

Hope the lad regains his full match fitness.

Totally agree with this, we missed his presence up front when he left.

Quoted from fishyfan

the football we played under hirst was far better than the football we played under MB, at least we kept it on the deck with PH.

I'm sure Mr Monkhouse wishes that was true. I'm surprised he never finished every game with concussion from the wellies up to the left hand side. ;D

After a sh1t time with injuries I hope it goes well for him. This proves one thing that I suspected and that Hurst's scouting network is very limited

Surprised that there is a comment that he wasn't at all quick? Probably the quickest "targetman" we've ever had and his pace and workrate were a real asset to the team. Doubt that will be enough in League One, but you never know, I suppose.

I'm very much in the pro-LJL camp. I thought he was outstanding for us in that second season. Great hold up play, strong, quick and decent finisher. An absolute nightmare for defenders and if I remember rightly only Toto did a good job on containing him.

I'd have him back at Town in a shot.

A thread title like this when the signings alert and terror threat are as high as they are? Really? ;)

I completely agree mighty. Ljl alongside bogle for the first half of the season would have been a strong lineup.

LJL is a fantastic target man and a nightmare to play against. He shouldn't be the man expected to score your goals which is unfortunately what Hurst played him as.

I liked LJL for what he was, a good hustle & bustle target man. The problem wasn't him but that we didn't really have an alternative tactic. If he was off form or marked out the game, we were toothless.

Wouldn't say I would want him here if we were a League One side but Hurst certainly likes what he knows. LJL must be the only striker we've had who hit 20 in a season and still split opinions!

Quoted from jonnyboy82

Yep Lenny definitley got summat on Hurst.

;D A guy who sits next to me used to say "I'm sure he's bumming him!", because he never got dropped.

Quoted from Maringer

Surprised that there is a comment that he wasn't at all quick? Probably the quickest "targetman" we've ever had and his pace and workrate were a real asset to the team. Doubt that will be enough in League One, but you never know, I suppose.

I cannot tell a lie. It was me!

In fact it was reading what Hurst has said in the local press that made me make that comment.

"He's a strong boy that gives absolutely everything to the team. He's a team player, he certainly would class as a player that his team-mates would speak higher of him than anyone else because of what he does for them.

"He puts the team first. He's had a difficult couple of seasons with injuries and we're fully aware and conscious of that.

"But he's still someone that can come in and be a very good player for us."

“He’s not what everyone would call a natural goalscorer - his game is much more than that.”

“He does a job for the team and he’s often the player that takes a lot of the attention away for maybe others to exploit, but he did manage 20 goals that year.”

“He does that because he is willing to put his head in where it hurts. He’s a willing runner, he works extremely hard and when you’ve got those attributes and that attitude to it all then often you can end up having chances fall at your feet.”

“He’s not the biggest in terms of height wise, but he’s very strong and powerful. I wouldn’t say he’s got lightening pace but he’s certainly mobile, he holds the ball up well and I think he’s one of those players that centre-halves don’t like playing against.”

“We’ve got to try and take care of that.”

“He’s back from a pretty horrific injury in truth, but we’ve had him assessed, we’ve looked at it and we believe we can help improve that situation and monitor him daily.

A fair assessment from Hurst - at least he's not trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the Shrews fans!

I do still think he is pretty quick, however, especially in comparison to most strikers who are there to compete physically with defenders. Not lightning pace that is going to take him away from everyone, but quick enough to make a difference.

Palmer did much better for us with his goalscoring than he has anywhere else (though admittedly at a lower level) and I don't doubt that much of this was because of the amount of running LJL was doing for him.

Quoted from Maringer

A fair assessment from Hurst - at least he's not trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the Shrews fans!

I do still think he is pretty quick, however, especially in comparison to most strikers who are there to compete physically with defenders. Not lightning pace that is going to take him away from everyone, but quick enough to make a difference.

Palmer did much better for us with his goalscoring than he has anywhere else (though admittedly at a lower level) and I don't doubt that much of this was because of the amount of running LJL was doing for him.

Danny Blanchflower would have called Hurst's statement "equalising before the other side scores". No he isn't pulling the wool over, no doubt about that. But he is forestalling criticism from the fans because he no doubt remembers what happened here. Hurst never appreciated that BP fans didn't dislike LJL as such, they realised what his strengths and weaknesses are. What used to get up their collective noses was Hurst's refusal to trust a genuine goalscorer to play with him, possibly apart from Palmer, and using formations that often left LJL isolated and the ball just being whacked upfield and coming straight back.

The notion that this useful but limited conference striker could do a job in league one amuses me. Add to that a career threatening injury and it makes Hurst look really narrow in his thinking - going back for this player and actually rating him as a L1 calibre striker. I agree with the earlier comments about his contacts/network. I think he's really limited - much more so than Slade and probably even Bignot.

Glad he's gone there he's shhhhhit 😂😂😂😂😂

Quoted from jonnyboy82

Yep Lenny definitley got summat on Hurst.

u need barring from this thread, til you do your Lenny hot dog forfeit hypocrite 8)

Got to feel for Newport in a way,pay his wages all season then he jumps ship again as he did here.

Wouldnt call him a loyal player, Blew hurst out before but now in league one to terrify the roof tops with sitters.

A good job they had moved ground otherwise they would have had to employ an army of canoeists to drag the balls out of the River Severn.

Didn't think podge was up to LG 2 but thinks lenny is up to lg1 . I'm guessing there was more to podge and totes leaving

What Hurst says in his interview is a great summary of Lenny.

Easy to forget that we gained 6 more points and and came higher in the table when Lenny was played up top

Quoted from Youngy

What Hurst says in his interview is a great summary of Lenny.

Easy to forget that we gained 6 more points and and came higher in the table when Lenny was played up top

Only Grimsby fans could have a 20 goal a season striker and call him excrement! Good player, think he's a Heskey type in most fans don't rate him but players love playing with him.