EFL club close to American takeover | OneFootball

Shrewsbury Town have taken steps forward in a possible change in ownership

Shrewsbury Town endured a difficult campaign in League Two as they narrowly avoided relegation.

The Shrews finished 19th in the table, 10 points clear of the bottom two, just 12 months on from suffering relegation to the fourth tier.

Gavin Cowan was appointed as manager in January amid speculation over the future of the club’s ownership, and he oversaw their survival against the drop.

The 45-year-old led the team to eight wins and three draws from his 19 games in charge during 2025/26, which was enough to steer clear of Harrogate Town and Barrow.

He will now be hoping to strengthen the squad over the summer in what will be his first chance to really shape the side to his liking.

Cowan was appointed by chairman and owner Roland Wycherley, who has been involved with Shrewsbury since 1996.

Shrewsbury Town close in on takeover agreement

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It has been reported by the BBC on X that Shrewsbury are close to concluding a takeover.

It’s understood that fit and proper person’s test is now being done on the prospective new owner, with an American consortium seeking to buy the League Two side.

Documents have reportedly been sent to both the EFL and the new Independent Football Regulator (IFR), although there are still some items that have not yet been issued.

However, despite this progress, a full takeover is not yet thought to be imminent, with some documents still unsigned.

Shrewsbury were linked with a potential change in ownership last year, but it’s believed that this consortium is not related to the previous bidder.

Wycherley has been in charge of the club for 30 years, but has become an unpopular figure amid the team’s decline to the bottom half of the fourth division.

But it remains to be seen whether the 84-year-old will go through with this deal at this stage.

How Shrewsbury Town fans feel about takeover progress

The reaction from Shrewsbury supporters regarding this takeover has been positive, although their optimism is still only cautious.

Some fans believe this is a step in the right direction, but they would still prefer to have greater transparency regarding the process from the club itself.

But the overall tenor of the conversation is that fans are excited about the prospect of the Shrews changing hands.

Many will be hoping that this is the beginning of a new era for the League Two side, who have struggled over the last couple of campaigns.

Supporters will be hoping the team can improve on their 19th place finish last season, whether it’s under new ownership or with Wycherley still in charge.

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Shrewsbury Town change of owner would be a step in the right direction

The era of the local businessman running a football club in England appears to be going by the wayside.

Wycherley has been a custodian of Shrewsbury for 30 years, but now is a good time for him to get out before things get even more sour between him and the fans.

The team has been in decline the last couple of years, and now a fresh set of eyes could be what the club needs in order to start turning things around.

However, fans have every reason to be cautious, especially given how the talk of a takeover last year ultimately went nowhere.