Shrewsbury are in the Checkatrade Trophy to win it, vows Paul Hurst
Paul Hurst has urged his players to take their chance at silverware in the Checkatrade Trophy.
The competition’s group stage reaches its climax tonight against Walsall, with Shrewsbury requiring just a point to progress at Group E winners.
Boss Hurst, a Football League Trophy winner against Town with Rotherham in 1996, believes his side have a real chance of success in the competition, which has its final at Wembley in the new year.
Sitting top of League One, Shrewsbury are currently the highest-ranked side contesting the competition.
“Yes I’ve got aspirations of winning it,” said Hurst. “Of course. Why not?
“We’re not going to win the FA Cup, that’s obvious. Can we win the Checkatrade Trophy? Of course we can, so why not try to do that?
“From my point of view we’ll be doing everything we can to make that happen.
“There’ll be a few more teams that will have the same thoughts.”
Hurst is determined to make it three wins from three tonight and has promised to play a team he would happily use in a league fixture.
Finishing top will ensure Town are the home side in the round of 32 knockout tie.
The boss said: “If we can do as well as we have done in the league then obviously you’ve got a chance at going deep into the competition.
“For me as a 21-year-old, playing at Wembley and lifting the trophy is a memory that sticks with you.
“That’s what the opportunity is for some of these players. There’s a few that have played at Wembley and had success, but it’s not somewhere you get bored of going to or playing at.
“If we got to the point where that’s really in sight then you’ll see our focus sharpen. At the minute my job is to get them up for these games as it’s pride.”
Jon Nolan will be missing from tonight’s clash. The midfielder has been struggling with a hip complaint and limped out of Saturday’s FA Cup win over Aldershot.
