Brad Friedel's US group cleared to buy Shrewsbury Town after Scottish FA approval

The American investment group attempting to take control of Shrewsbury Town has been given the green light by the Scottish Football Association to hold interests in both the English club and Scottish side Spartans FC. The decision removes one of the last regulatory obstacles standing in the way of the acquisition.

• The SFA has approved the consortium's dual interests in Shrewsbury Town and Spartans FC
• Scott Davidson, Will Dotson, Craig Graham and former goalkeeper Brad Friedel are leading the bid
• The group had already passed EFL and Independent Football Regulator financial tests
• Chairman Roland Wycherley put the club up for sale in 2024 after 30 years in charge
• Both sides are hopeful the deal will be completed before Christmas

Dual ownership cleared as Shrewsbury takeover moves forward

The main remaining issue was Scott Davidson's position as majority shareholder at Spartans, who play in the fourth tier of Scottish football. Will Dotson and Craig Graham are also involved at the Edinburgh-based club. The Scottish FA has now determined there is no conflict in all three holding directorships at both clubs at the same time.

The Scottish FA has given approval to the dual interests arising from the acquisition of Shrewsbury Town FC by the consortium led by The Spartans FC lead shareholder Scott Davidson and the appointment of Scott, Will Dotson and Craig Graham as directors of both The Spartans FC and Shrewsbury Town FC.

Spartans added that the ruling completes the majority of the regulatory aspects of the acquisition. The path is now clear for the sale to advance towards its final signature in the coming weeks.

Who is in the US consortium negotiating with Roland Wycherley

Alongside Davidson, Dotson and Graham is a very familiar face in European football: Brad Friedel. The former United States international goalkeeper played for Liverpool, Tottenham and Blackburn Rovers before hanging up his gloves. His presence gives the investment group a recognisable football profile.

The group had already successfully passed the due diligence and financial tests set by the English Football League and the Independent Football Regulator. That earlier screening was essential for the deal to keep moving forward in England.

A League Two club after several failed sale attempts

Shrewsbury Town currently sit 14th in League Two, the fourth tier of English football, having won three of their opening nine matches this season. The Shropshire club is going through a period of transition on the pitch while its institutional future is being resolved.

Roland Wycherley, the club's chairman and owner, announced in 2024 his intention to sell the club he has run for three decades. But it has not been an easy road: negotiations with one American buyer collapsed in March 2025, and six months later a second bid from a different party also fell through.

Wycherley calls for patience as deal enters final stretch

Talks with Davidson's group have been ongoing for six months, and the hope on all sides is to get the agreement signed before the festive period. Even so, the 85-year-old chairman prefers to remain cautious.

Drawing on his long experience running the club, Wycherley has warned that time and patience will still be important once the new owners officially take charge. Adapting to foreign ownership and the structural changes that come with it will not happen overnight.

Completion would end Wycherley's 30-year tenure

If everything goes according to plan, the sale of Shrewsbury Town will mark the end of Wycherley's three decades as the club's leading figure. He has been tied to the club through an extensive period in which the team has moved between different divisions of English football.

For Shrewsbury, the arrival of the American consortium represents a change of era. The group's financial backing and Friedel's football experience paint a new picture for a fanbase that has seen several sales collapse in recent months.