Ex-stars back Shrewsbury Town to equal club record

Paul Hurst’s leaders continue to defy the odds and have the chance to equal a club record unbeaten run of 16 Football League games at Peterborough tomorrow.

Shrewsbury heroes Dean Spink and Paul Evans both played for Town in the Division Three success of 1993/1994, the second of the the club’s two Football League triumphs.

Fred Davies’ men went from late October until early March without defeat that season. Hurst’s table-toppers can draw parity with the record by avoiding defeat against a stuttering Posh side, who are without a win in six.

Birmingham-born and based Spink, 50, got 17 goals in all competitions that season. It was a couple of seasons until he reverted to a centre-half.

“There’s no reason why they can’t do it, it’s a new era there,” said the Birmingham City community worker. “It’s unbelievable. Fair play to them – give it their best shot and go up.

“Everyone seems to be performing, that happened for us in that season. Everyone got goals, there were no specific people. We knew what it was about. Fred Davies had everyone playing for him, we knew what it was about. It just moves forward and you get stronger.

“Shrewsbury’s a fortress to go to at the moment. Town can battle and grind results out even playing badly.

“When you’re winning it breeds confidence. The banter’s high in the dressing room. It’s cliché but everything seems to work for you.

Oswestry-born Evans is sports therapist at Championship outfit Leeds but is thoroughly enjoying seeing his first side flourish – and has backed them to continue the fight.

“There have been a lot smaller clubs than Shrewsbury in the Championship,” said ex-midfielder Evans,43. “They go to Peterborough tomorrow and they’ve been in the Championship.

“Town should have no fear. There’s no reason why they can’t do it. The fans will be absolutely loving it.

“It’s going unbelievably well. I looked at the table the other day, they’re 10 points clear of third after a third of the season – long may it continue.

“There’ll be a confidence there going into games thinking that they won’t get beat. They keep knocking in last minute winners or blowing teams away like against Bristol Rovers.

“It’s a great feeling to have. If you could bottle it and sell it you’d be a very rich man.

“The season we won the league was my first as a pro, I was 18. I remember us being bottom after three games, we went to Preston and were 5-0 down at half-time and lost 6-1. From November onwards we turned it around. We had an open-top bus to celebrate at the end of the season and a dinner. I don’t remember much other than Mickey Brown pushing me over all the time!”

Evans spent a brief playing spell alongside Hurst at Rotherham, two years with Chris Doig at Nottingham Forest – where he used to stay over with the current Town No.2 and time in the Welsh set-up with goalkeeper coach Danny Coyne.

“They’re all good people and Town are lucky to have them,” he added.

“Paul and Chris played with heart. They’re the best type of players to have and they’ve installed a real team spirit there.”