Gilks solves Shrews keeper crisis

Matthew Gilks is expected to make his Town debut at Lincoln

Shrewsbury have eased their goalkeeping problems by signing Blackpool's Matthew Gilks on a month's loan.

First-choice Luke Daniels looked to be on his way back from a thigh strain, but the injury has flared up again, forcing the move for 26-year-old Gilks.

"Matt's a big strong keeper who played under me at Rochdale," Town boss Paul Simpson told BBC Radio Shropshire.

"With Luke out and Scott Bevan away at Torquay, I felt we were a bit light in the goalkeeping department."

Glyn Garner had been the replacement for Daniels, himself on loan from West Bromwich Albion, who could now be out for another three weeks.

But errors in Town's last two games, the FA Cup defeat at Blyth and in last weekend's 2-2 draw at Chesterfield, look to have proved his downfall. And Gilks is expected to go straight into the Shrewsbury side to face Lincoln City at Sincil Bank on Saturday.

"Unfortunately, when goalkeepers do make mistakes, they tend to be crucial ones," said Simpson.

Gilks played 197 games for home-town club Rochdale (including a three-month run in his one season under Simpson in the spring of 2003) before moving to Norwich City in June 2007.

After failing to get any further than the bench at Norwich, he then moved in this summer to Blackpool, for whom he has so far played just one Carling Cup appearance.

But Simpson pointed out: "The fact that Championship clubs wanted him show he's highly thought of."