Wolverhampton's Connor Goldson fighting for his place at Shrewsbury Town

Town's Black Country-born defender is training at former professional Richie Carter's Golden Gloves amateur club in Bushbury and has shown an aptitude for the sport, writes Craig Birch.

The 20-year-old has dazzled the pugilists with his level of fitness but is under strict orders not to get into the ring, so it's bag and pad work only.

But Goldson is confident his extra work will land a killer blow on his opponents in League One, when he gets the nod to start from Town's former Wolves boss Graham Turner.

Goldson said: "It's just a bit of extra training away from football to keep me fit and try to get a bit of power into my upper half.

"Richie Carter is best friends with my dad, Winston, so it has been good so far. He just asked me to come along to do some fitness work with the kids.

"They all love football there, so it's good for him and good for me at the same time. It's not sparring, just on the bags and a little bit of pad work, just the cardio side of it.

"I am not training as hard or as long as boxers are, I have only done a 45-minute session and a few rounds on the pads and the bags. It was good. It just keeps my fitness topped."

Goldson and Carter, 43, both hail from the same East Park suburb that produced Coventry City striker Leon Clarke and former Shrewsbury winger Mark Wright for the game.

Now-retired ex-Leicester City defender Neil Lewis is from the same area and Carter saw them all become local boys made good, knowing Goldson would follow in their footsteps.

Carter said: "I have known Connor since he was a baby, as me and his dad have been friends since we were children. We went to Finchfield High School together.

"Connor used to play football at the back of my pub, the New Victoria Inn on Deans Road, when he was little and you knew he was something special even then.

"Mark Wright used to live next door and there's been some good footballers come from East Park down the years, like Leon Clarke and Neil Lewis."