Ex-Huddersfield Town full-back Josh Ruffels is set to join Shrewsbury Town as the League Two side look to halt their poor start to the season.
The 31-year-old has been a free agent since leaving the Terriers in the summer but is now on the verge of sealing a deal with Michael Appleton’s struggling team.
Ruffels Nears Shrewsbury Switch
Ruffels’ contract at Huddersfield expired at the end of last season, leaving him without a club during the summer months. He spent time training with the PFA to maintain fitness and was linked with a number of sides lower down the pyramid, but a move failed to materialise until now.
Journalist Alan Nixon has reported that a deal with Shrewsbury is close to completion, bringing an end to his short spell in footballing limbo.
Last term, Ruffels featured prominently in Huddersfield’s relegation campaign. After playing a bit-part role previously, his involvement increased significantly as the season unfolded. He made 25 appearances in all competitions and scored once, finding the net in an EFL Cup tie against Walsall.
Having come through the ranks at Coventry City, he’s best known for his time with Oxford United. Between 2013 and 2021, he played 317 times for the U’s, scoring 23 goals and helping them to a promotion and two EFL trophy runner-up places.
Shrewsbury’s Dire Form
Shrewsbury have endured a miserable start to life in League Two following relegation last season. Appleton’s men sit 23rd in the table after collecting only one win from their opening ten fixtures. Defensive frailties have been a major issue, with the side conceding an average of two goals per match while struggling to find the net at the other end. Fans are growing increasingly agitated as a double relegation seems possible, with them only having dropped out of League One in May.
For Appleton, who has faced growing pressure from supporters, the addition of an experienced professional could be timely. Ruffels’ knowledge of both Championship and League One football offers a measure of stability and leadership to a squad that has struggled to adapt to its new environment. His arrival would not only strengthen defensive options but also provide flexibility across several positions.
Writer’s View
This may feel like a sensible fit, but if it was a good move, surely Salop would have considered it way before now. It feels as if we’ve gone past the point of no return, and for Appleton to turn to a former favourite of his suggests he’s trying to get some welcoming faces in the dressing room.
However, October is now upon us, and while Ruffels has been with the PFA squad, he is behind professionals in terms of match time. Is this a wild throw of the dice by Appleton, a man desperately trying to find some small crumb of belief in a side that looks increasingly destined for non-league football? Time will tell.
