Shrewsbury Town boss Michael Appleton has confirmed there are no plans to recall on-loan forward Callum Stewart from Brackley Town, despite a serious knee injury sidelining Bradley Ihionvien for up to 6 months.
The 21-year-old striker, on loan from Peterborough United, suffered the injury in training earlier this month and will undergo surgery, leaving the League Two club light in attacking options heading into a busy winter period.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨#Shrewsbury head coach Michael Appleton tells @BBCShropSport that Bradley Ihionvien has suffered a serious knee injury
‘It’s a significant injury and he may need surgery.’
He could be out for anything between 4-6 weeks or 4-6 months#BBCFootball | #Salop pic.twitter.com/jq1rKT7R6j
— BBC Sport Shropshire (@BBCShropSport) October 18, 2025
Appleton Rules Out Early Recall
Appleton told BBC Radio Shropshire that while Ihionvien’s injury is a major setback, the club will not bring back Stewart, who joined Brackley Town on loan in mid-October to gain regular minutes in the National League.
“There are two ways the operation could go in terms of timelines,” Appleton explained. “The absolute best we could dream of is 8 weeks, but the more likely scenario is between 4 and 6 months. Once he’s out of surgery, we’ll have a clearer picture.”
Despite that uncertainty, Appleton was clear that Stewart’s loan spell would not be cut short. The forward, who signed for Shrewsbury Town from Leamington in January, has impressed with his attitude and work rate since turning professional earlier this year, but the club view his spell at Brackley as an important stage in his development.
“It’s not something we’re considering right now,” Appleton said. “Callum’s gone out to play and learn in men’s football week in, week out. That experience will benefit him far more in the long run.”
Stewart’s Journey From Non-League to the EFL
The 23-year-old forward’s rise has been full of perseverance. Having started his career at local side Leamington and spent time with Coventry Sphinx, Stewart re-signed for Leamington in 2023, scoring 31 goals in 63 appearances before earning a move to Shrewsbury at the start of 2025.
↔️ Brackley Town agreed a deal to sign Shrewsbury Town striker Callum Stewart on loan until January.
READ MORE:
📲 https://t.co/oiJDSf4IRP pic.twitter.com/IrjO4dxwM0— BBC Shropshire (@BBCShropshire) October 15, 2025
His switch to the EFL saw him give up his day job to pursue football full-time, and his performances have since marked him as a player with potential.
His current loan to Brackley offers the chance to continue that momentum after making 20 appearances for Shrewsbury last season. Appleton remains keen to see the striker build confidence in front of goal before returning to Croud Meadow.
Meanwhile, the loss of Ihionvien has left Shrewsbury short on depth. The Peterborough loanee made an instant impact by scoring on his league debut in a 3-1 victory over Barnet but has struggled for consistency since.
Appleton acknowledged that the injury is tough for the young forward, who is now facing a lengthy rehabilitation process.
“He’s a brilliant kid and the players like him,” he said. “There are things we’d spoken about improving before the injury, but right now it’s about helping him recover and get back on his feet. It’s going to be a tough rehab for someone who’s never had an injury like this before.”
With Ihionvien ruled out until at least spring, Appleton may look to the January transfer window for attacking reinforcements.
For now, though, the message is clear — Stewart’s development comes first, even as Shrewsbury navigate an early-season injury crisis.
