Anthony Scully will face Colchester United this weekend, just weeks after coming close to rejoining the club permanently.
The attacker spent pre-season training with the U’s but ultimately signed for League Two rivals Shrewsbury Town on a one-year deal.
Cowley confirms summer move for Scully fell through
Anthony Scully is set to feature for Shrewsbury Town against Colchester United on Saturday, having turned down the chance to return to the JobServe Community Stadium. The 26-year-old had two loan spells with the U’s last season and trained with the squad again over the summer, but a deal could not be completed before he joined Shrewsbury.
U’s head coach Danny Cowley revealed that he had hoped to bring Scully back permanently following his release from Portsmouth, but logistical and medical complications meant the move collapsed.
“We’d very much have liked to have brought Sculls back – he’s someone we have a lot of time for,” Cowley said. “It just wasn’t possible… He’s a terrific player, a terrific kid who hasn’t had it easy.”
Cowley explained that Scully’s injury history complicated matters. A late-deadline move last season saw Colchester take him on with limited medical checks, following an unexpected sale of Bradley Ihionvien. Despite concerns, Portsmouth agreed to a performance-based deal at the time, allowing Scully to return and regain match fitness.
Medical investigations revealed that Scully still had metalwork in his ankle from a previous operation at West Ham United – something that had not been addressed at any of his previous clubs. The issue was finally resolved under Colchester’s care, and he returned to full fitness before the season ended.
“We tried really hard to mobilise his ankle… We then decided to scan it… he still had the metalwork in from a previous operation and it just hadn’t been taken out. It’s beyond me how this gets missed by so many people,” Cowley added.
The forward has since reunited with Shrewsbury boss Michael Appleton, who previously managed him at Lincoln City between 2019 and 2022. He signed a one-year deal at the New Meadow earlier this month.
Writer’s View
Danny Cowley’s comments make it clear that Colchester United were genuinely close to securing Anthony Scully once again this summer, and had circumstances aligned differently, the 26-year-old could have been lining up in blue and white rather than red and black this weekend. His injury background and the extraordinary discovery of retained metalwork point to a player who has had to battle more than most.
That Colchester played a key role in getting him back to fitness speaks volumes for the club’s medical staff. Scully will no doubt be out to prove a point on Saturday — and Cowley’s side will be well aware of the threat he poses.
