Shrewsbury Town takeover completed as Brad Friedel takes sporting director role

Shrewsbury Town's takeover has been completed, with an American-based consortium acquiring 87.4% of the League Two club and former United States goalkeeper Brad Friedel becoming sporting director. BBC Sport reported on Monday that the share purchase agreement had been finalised, ending Roland Wycherley's 30 years as owner and clearing the way for a new board led by Scott Davidson.

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The buying group, Biscayne ST LLC, includes Friedel, who will work directly with manager Gavin Cowan. Davidson, a Miami-based businessman, becomes chairman. New York financier Will Dotson and Craig Graham, chairman of Scottish League Two side Spartans, also join the board. Chief executive Liam Dooley and Duncan Montgomery remain, while former goalkeeper Bryan Finnerty's involvement is still subject to the English Football League's owners and directors' tests.

For Wycherley, completion allows him to retire at 85 after taking over as chairman from Ray Bailey in 1996. The Shrewsbury-born supporter first signalled his intention to sell more than five years ago, when the club was playing in League One. According to the BBC's account, the process was prolonged by his determination to find an agreement he considered suitable for Shrewsbury's long-term future.

In a club statement cited by the BBC, Wycherley expressed pride in overseeing the team he had supported since childhood, while acknowledging the need for additional investment. He highlighted the club's foundation and academy among the areas on which the next owners could build. Davidson said the consortium had assembled expertise across business, law, finance and sport to support the club alongside its existing leadership and staff.

One of the defining changes during Wycherley's ownership was the 2007 move from Gay Meadow to a purpose-built, 10,000-seat stadium. Former manager Graham Turner, who led Shrewsbury to promotion in 2012, told BBC Radio Shropshire that Wycherley had sustained the club through difficult periods. His final match as owner was Saturday's 2-1 victory at Eastleigh in the first round of the FA Cup.

The ownership change comes with Shrewsbury 15th in League Two but only two points outside the play-off positions, the BBC reported. Cowan returned to the club in January and kept them from relegation. Friedel has already watched the team in person, attending the EFL Trophy group-stage victory over Everton Under-21s on 27 October, ahead of taking up his role alongside the manager.