Paul Hurst is calling for cup-style display from Shrewsbury

While unbeaten Town are three places and three points better off than their visitors after five games – Hurst views the Latics, relegated from the top flight in 2013, as clear favourites.

Many of Paul Cook’s Athletic squad are familiar with playing at a higher level, and Hurst wants his side to take a cup-style underdog approach into the Montgomery Waters Meadow clash.

Hurst, who guides his side out in their 3,000th game in the Football League, said: “They’re in our league and ultimately it’s a League One fixture. But in a lot of ways it almost feels like a cup game.

“I want us to approach it a little bit like that, not going in with any fear or restraints on us and try and have a go at them.

“But their players and team, most of them will have played higher. That team wouldn’t look out of place in the Championship, a lot of it.

“Most of them could play in the Championship, that’s the test that we’ve got.”

Shrewsbury are causing neutrals, who had the club as favourites for relegation before a ball was kicked, to take note with their eye-catching start.

While Hurst is happy to change the club’s perception, he is satisfied with Town staying out of the limelight.

“I’m happy under the radar.” he said. “I think there’s one or two maybe taking notice but again it’s far too early.

“That will naturally come if we keep doing well. I don’t think it’s something that you should crave but it would be nice to change people’s perceptions. I was told about a comment from last weekend, I won’t say where it came from but it was ‘Gillingham should be beating teams like Shrewsbury’.

“I’ll be honest it’s not my favourite thing I’ve ever heard.

“It’d be nice to change that perception. When people ask ‘who have you got this weekend?’ and it’s Shrewsbury, for them to say ‘oh they’re not bad’.

“That’d be slightly better than where we’ve been.”