With just eight points in six games and two defeats from the past three home games, many outsiders would say that Shrewsbury Town are no better off with new manager; Paul Hurst. Were you to ask any Salop fans though, they would have a very differing opinion. A previously confidence-stricken team has its mojo back and this was none more emphasised than the stunning opener from Jordan Shipley against an in-form Reading at the weekend. Former Coventry academy graduate, Tom Bayliss picked out Salop’s number 26 on the edge of the box and he cut across his volley expertly, firing it past David Button.
The side that Hurst inherited though was not just low on confidence, a quick brush across the figures showed that statistically they were one of the weakest teams in the league. In his first couple of interviews, the 49-year-old was quick to note how the team seemed generally unfit and that he would have to manage their workload in training over the coming weeks.
But, despite their lack of fitness, the ex-Grimsby manager has quickly turned them into a much more dogged and determined outfit. Alex Rodman who was a key part of Town’s 2017-18 promotion push, noted this on Radio Shropshire during Saturday’s fixture, picking out some stats to show the radical change they had made in their first five games under Hurst. With Taylor gone and a more fluid approach clear, a team that was previously ranking between 24th and 21st for the majority of attacking stats was now putting out figures similar to that of Bolton or Portsmouth. For shots and crosses per game, they now ranked second, and an even more stark improvement can be seen in passes to the final third and regaining possession, ranking first in the entire division. It is unlikely that Salop will be able to retain these numbers for the rest of the campaign, but even a small improvement should be enough for them to achieve a 10th successive season in League One.
Undoubtedly, the arrival of Paul Hurst may have been perceived as a step back from many other fans in the division after his second spell at Grimsby came to a premature end. For many managers though, they may just have a team that is the right fit, whether that be Darren Ferguson at Peterborough or Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham, some managers are just suited to certain clubs. For Hurst, this seems to be Shrewsbury with him averaging a career-high 49.5%-win rate last time he was in charge, with that including two Wembley trips in just one season. Although unsuccessful in getting the club promoted, many younger Salop fans regard that year as one of the highlights in what has been a relatively mediocre stint in League One. This achievement was emphasised even further by the enjoyment they took in finishing 12th last season under Steve Cotterill, their second highest finish since returning to the third division in 2015.
Should Hurst keep Shrewsbury Town up, it will provide the perfect platform for the Shropshire-based club to try and push up the league in the 2024/25 season. His recognition of young talent has long been one of his main selling points and given the summer transfer window, it would be no surprise to see Hurst working wonders for the blue, amber army again.
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