In 2018, Ipswich Town signed two players for a combined £2 million: Jon Nolan and Toto Nsiala.
Nolan and Nsiala had good stints at Shrewsbury Town but fell short of expectations at Ipswich Town.
Ipswich must be regretting the deal because both players struggled with injuries and put on poor performances while they were at Portman Road.
After spending 17 years in the Championship, Ipswich Town was demoted to League One, making the 2018–19 season a disastrous one for the team.
The Tractor Boys’ demise was caused by a turbulent summer of the previous year, and one of the major transactions that went wrong was the £2 million double signing of Jon Nolan and Toto Nsiala.
Paul Hurst, the manager, signed both players, but they failed to live up to their potential at Shrewsbury Town and they left the team in 2022 after a disappointing four years.
Nsiala and Nolan were Shrewsbury Town’s stars.
The League One season of 2017–18 is probably what Shrewsbury supporters would all cite as their favorite recent season. Toto Nsiala and Jon Nolan were two men who played a crucial role in enabling Salop make it to the Play-Off and EFL Trophy finals that season.
One was a stalwart in defense, while the other was a deft midfielder with endless ability to score and create opportunities.
Though plagued by injuries, that season was the pinnacle of Nolan’s playing career. Moments like a game-winning goal at The Valley and a pivotal finish against Scunthorpe United in wintry conditions will live on in the memories of both the player and the supporters.Nsiala followed suit and created a superb partnership with veteran centre-back Mat Sadler, which saw Shrewsbury concede just 39 goals as they finished third in the league. A defeat in the play-off final against Rotherham United would be an unfortunate way to end their Blue and Amber career and just two days later, they saw their manager move to East Anglia.
Bringing some of his side from Shropshire, he was eager to see Hurst continue his career at Portman Road. Hurst duly won the aforementioned £2 million double agreement after Nsiala and Nolan were seen as two distinct options that indicated potential for the future.
This trade seemed like it would benefit both parties based on the last campaign. However, during their four years at Portman Road, neither player ever displayed the amount Ipswich paid.
