Keith Southern: Shrewsbury Town sign Fleetwood Town midfielder

Former Blackpool man Keith Southern made 375 appearances in 10 year at Bloomfield Road

Shrewsbury Town have signed Fleetwood Town midfielder Keith Southern on loan until the end of the season.

The 33-year-old Gateshead-born former Everton trainee, who played in the Premier League with Blackpool four seasons ago, was a free agent when he joined the Cod Army in the summer.

Meanwhile, Town's James Caton and Aaron Wildig, have moved to Conference clubs.

Southern says he was close to linking up with Shrewsbury in the summer, only to sign instead for promoted Fleetwood.

The Cod Army, on their way up to League One, and Shrewsbury, heading for League Two, were heading in opposite directions at the time.

But Southern has now joined up with several other former Bloomfield Road employees at the Greenhous Meadow, where former Blackpool secretary Matt Williams became chief executive last summer.

And he admits he was tempted to have hooked up sooner with Mellon, another former Blackpool player.

"I said this to the manager in the summer when I was close to signing," Southern told BBC Radio Shropshire, "With or without me, Shrewsbury Town will get promoted.

"Micky's built a fantastic new squad and, from the outside looking in, it's a club going in only one direction."

Fellow midfielder Wildig, 24, has moved on a month's loan to Kidderminster Harriers, who are just one point adrift of the Conference play-off places.

The former Cardiff City and Hamilton Academical player was one of just seven contracted players in Town's squad when Mellon took over in the summer, but has failed to make a first-team appearance this season.

Southport have taken 21-year-old winger Caton in a similar loan arrangement.