Shrewsbury snap up defender Canoville

Lee Canoville

Boston United defender Lee Canoville has joined Coca-Cola League Two promotion challengers Shrewsbury Town early on transfer deadline day.

Town have won the race to sign the outstanding young defender ahead of rivals Darlington and Peterborough United, who were also keen to add the former Arsenal youngster to their own respective squads.

Canoville, who was out of contract in the summer, has for expedience, officially moved to Shrewsbury Town on ‘loan’ while the Pilgrims have secured an undisclosed but respectable five-figure sum.

Canoville joined Boston United in the summer of 2005 on a free transfer from Torquay and has played in 65 games since he joined the Pilgrims. The player has been an integral part of Evans’ team in that period and is a firm favourite with the manager and those on the terraces at the Staffsmart Stadium.

Following the move, United manager Steve Evans was not a happy man and described himself as “gutted” but he took time out and spoke highly of a player he has helped bring the best out of. Evans told bufc.co.uk: “Firstly I am gutted and hugely disappointed that Lee Canoville has been sold.

“Canoville is a very good footballer, an example to others as a professional and he is a lad I had a great relationship with too. The boy is a natural athlete, who loved his work and he is the type you want to work with every day.

“He comes from a lovely family and indeed he is a credit to them in the way he conducts himself in all areas.

“Make no mistake, while I understand that from a business point of view the boy was out of contract in the summer and we as a football club needed the money, I am still not happy about this transfer whatsoever.

“Once again I have been forced to sell a player to help Boston United meet its wage bill for the month and in fairness to the football staff and myself, it has been very regularly over the last couple of years that similar things have had to happen.

“I have never been one to feel sorry for myself but just at the moment, I feel like I have got kicked in the teeth again. Julian Joachim, Anthony Elding, Tim Ryan and now Lee Canoville have left us in recent times and while I understand we may have needed the money on each occasion this season, this transfer has been hard to swallow.

“At the very least I suppose I have bought my chairman and directors some more time while the talks continue with our possible new owners. Deep down I know my chairman did not want to instruct me to sell Canoville, but he has a responsibility to every employee at Boston United and ensure they all get paid.

“This will now happen but to use an expression I am sick to the back teeth of selling players and this being the option to get us through.

“It’s not a time for reflect or self pity, it’s about re-starting the motivation engines and trying to add to our threadbare squad on transfer deadline day as we prepare for the remainder of the season.

“As I asked earlier this season, who motivates the motivator at times like this?”

For any late transfer deadline moves involving Boston United, stay tuned to bufc.co.uk throughout the day.