Shrewsbury Town bosses have players buzzing says Ian Black

Former Grimsby boss Hurst and his Scottish assistant checked into Greenhous Meadow during the final days of October and have helped Town stabilise their season.

Black has made 21 appearances this season, with five of his eight outings under Hurst as part of the starting XI.

Shrewsbury are unbeaten in three League One games and recorded their first back-to-back league wins of the season against Millwall and Bristol Rovers.

The new boss also seems to have fixed Shrewsbury's Achilles Heel, shipping soft goals on home soil.

Town have gone five Meadow matches under the Yorkshire chief without conceding.

While Hurst has had little opportunity to alter his squad, with league rules stating that loan signings cannot be made outside of the January and summer transfer windows, Black stated an uplift in energy was a key factor.

The 31-year-old Scot said: "Everybody's buzzing about the place, the gaffer's good – him and Doigy – they've come in and given us the lift that we need and we've shown it.

"It's good and it's bubbly here and the boys enjoy how it is.

"They are new faces for the boys and everyone's got the enthusiasm and we're putting that into performances – we just need to keep it up.

"They have good enthusiasm and energy and it's showed.

"The optimism is felt everywhere and it's little details that come with new voices and faces, it lifts the whole place.

"Credit to the gaffer for getting us organised and we want to keep winning for him and the supporters."

A number of Black's team-mates noted a boost in the tempo of training upon Hurst's arrival two months ago.

And that was music to the ears of the ex-Rangers man and one-time Scotland international.

He added: "Training's hard, it's as hard as every player wants. They want 100 per cent every day from players, as it should be.

"It's all about discipline and organisation, things we are big on at home. It should be a hard place to come for every team.

"The clean sheet (against Bristol) for the back four and the keeper is massive and I'm delighted for them. Belief in the squad has changed.

"Too many of us were feeling sorry for ourselves but the gaffer and Doigy have gave us that. They're great."

Team-mate Jack Grimmer had previously joked regarding Town's Scottish union that Doig's accent was accommodating for Shrews' Scottish contingent.

Black, born in Edinburgh, may boast a deeper accent that Hurst's No.2 Doig, born in Dumfries, but laughed while explaining some players seem quizzical.

"The big man's alright – he's good craic!" Black said.

"He gets on well with us, he's not too bad to understand. I get him, a few boys just pull funny faces."

Removing his smile and returning to the stern and fierce look of his playing style, Black commented on Shrewsbury's uplift of form.

The midfielder has struggled to pin down a consistent starting spot this season and, for now, that is one of his primary targets.

But after netting his side's second in the 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers – his third of the campaign – he is confident of another opportunity at Bolton on Monday.

The Scot's trio of strikes stand him alone from fellow tough-tackling midfielders Gary Deegan and Abu Ogogo, who have yet to find the net this season.

Hurst's side now sit 21st, with just goal difference keeping them in the bottom four.

"We'll only look forward and up above," he added. "We'll never look behind us. There's confidence growing in the squad and we're looking forward to Bolton.

"It's up to me when I get in the team. I feel as if I've been a bit unfortunate not to have a run of games because I've got a lot to give the team and if I get a run I'm sure I'll get to the pace.

"I find it hard, as any player would, out for three matches in for one and then back out.

"Hopefully I did enough against Rovers to stay in the team for this weekend there and I hope to get a good run at it.

"It's a big occasion at Bolton and we'll enjoy it."