Shrewsbury Town are poised for a stunning takeover led by Scottish part-time club Spartans, with former United States international goalkeeper Brad Friedel set to join the new board. The multi-million pound deal, which has been in discussions for around four months, marks a radical shift for the English Football League club as it handles a difficult start to the League Two season, currently sitting 18th with six points from six games.
The American consortium
The takeover is spearheaded by Spartans' main shareholder, Scott Davidson, a 58-year-old former JPMorganChase managing director based in Miami. Davidson, who holds a UEFA A-licence earned in Scotland, is expected to attend Spartans' upcoming home fixture against Forfar Athletic. He will be joined on a proposed four-person board by Brad Friedel, his best friend and the 82-times capped former Aston Villa and Tottenham keeper, and current Spartans board member Will Dotson, who is based in New York. Davidson was reportedly attracted to Shrewsbury due to its long history, which stretches back to the 1880s, and its lack of debt.
"I am just not as handsome as Ryan Reynolds," Davidson said, referencing the Hollywood-led transformation of Wrexham, which has seen that club rise from the National League to the Championship in five years.
Spartans' community roots
Spartans, a community-focused club from north Edinburgh with an average crowd of about 500, are a stark contrast to Shrewsbury's established EFL status. Founded in the early 1950s by ex-Edinburgh University players, they currently sit in a play-off place in Scottish League Two. Their charity arm recently raised nearly £250,000 at a dinner. Chairman Craig Graham, a former KPMG partner, visited Shrewsbury's old Gay Meadow ground in the 1990s while working nearby in Crewe.
"We are a successful, community-based club," Graham said. "We aim to enhance the lives of the people of north Edinburgh, whether that's through coming to support the team or involvement in the many programmes run by the foundation programme. We also have ambitions to develop the club and move up the leagues in Scotland. I hope the response (from Shrewsbury fans) is positive, rather than: 'who are Spartans?'"
Shrewsbury's current state
The move comes after Shrewsbury's 85-year-old chairman, Roland Wycherley, announced his desire to sell the club in 2024, having been in control since 1996. Several supporter groups subsequently sent an open letter calling for greater transparency about the club's future. On the pitch, the team's form has been mixed, with a recent 2-0 home win over Northampton Town, featuring goals from Kian McMahon-Brown and Kevin Berkoe, followed by a 2-0 defeat at Fleetwood Town. Their recent form reads WLLWL, with four goals scored and ten conceded this season, leaving them six points behind leaders Barnet.
The EFL introduced new rules last year paving the way for such cross-border ownership, and a tangible link already exists between the clubs. Striker Ricardo Dinanga, 24, was recruited by Spartans on loan from Shrewsbury this season and has played seven times, scoring once. The deal suggests a model where players may move back and forth between the clubs. Shrewsbury moved from Gay Meadow, famous for ball retriever Fred Davies and his coracle on the River Severn, to their current Croud Meadow home in 2007, where the record attendance is 10,210 for a 2014 League Cup tie against Chelsea. The proposed takeover, awaiting final approval, represents a bold new chapter as the club prepares for its next fixture, with the full schedule available on our fixtures page and current squad details on the squad list.
