Paul Hurst: Shrewsbury Town there to be shot at
Top-of-the-table Shrewsbury Town are there to be shot at, boss Paul Hurst has warned.
Tonight’s visitors Southend, who are riddled by injuries, have endured a sluggish start to the League One campaign and have not won since the opening day.
Unbeaten Town could equal a 123-year club record of going the opening seven league games of a season without losing if they avoid defeat against the Shrimpers.
Hurst said: “If people want to look at the table, then you’re there to be shot at.
“It’s hard to get away with the tag of ‘Shrewsbury Town, relegation favourites’ if you’re doing well.
“At the minute we’re are doing well. So you expect teams to come and give you the respect you deserve rather than clubs turning up and thinking ‘we’ll win today.’
“I said before Wigan it could be one of the biggest games a few of the lads have played in so far, every game now becomes that.
“I’ve said to them that the best teams and the best players produce the most over the course of the season and are not up and down.
“To date we haven’t been up and down, certainly not results-wise.
“We’ve got to try and extend that, I’ve laid out the challenge to them – I’m hoping that they’re of a mindset to take that on and see if we can extend the unbeaten start.”
Left-back Junior Brown will, if selected, make his 100th appearance for Shrewsbury in all competitions tonight.
Having signed from Mansfield in 2015, the 28-year-old has been a mainstay in Micky Mellon and Hurst’s Town sides.
Hurst, a former left-back, hailed the defender’s all-round improvement.
He said: “I think he’s a favourite, the fans like him. There’s still some things that can improve further but at the same time he’s definitely made improvements.
“That’s partly a mentality of being a defender, I know he’s been used on the left (of midfield). We’ve had a conversation and this year it’s really hit home. Everything about him has been better this year.
“It’s a hard position at left-back in my team because I’ll always notice things slightly more. I like to think he’ll also benefit from that – I played enough games to hopefully have an idea of how a left-back should play.”
