Bernard McNally: FA Cup will be a welcome break for Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town are in FA Cup action on Saturday, welcoming Morecambe to the Montgomery Waters Meadow.
It will be a welcome break from League One for Paul Hurst’s side following a disappointing couple of weeks.
They need to start putting wins together – Paul knows that – and they need to pick themselves up and get back on the grind.
I was at the 1-0 loss to Bradford City last weekend and the manner of the defeat was very disappointing – the goal taking a big deflection off Toto Nsiala.
They just have not had the rub of the green over the past couple of games.
The FA Cup has been pretty kind to Salop over the past several years, it is a competition they have done well in.
When I was a player we got to the quarter finals – in 1982.
We were 2-1 up at Leicester but went on to lose 5-2 and it was a game full of incidents – they had four different keepers.
Gary Lineker was playing for them and said it was a bizarre game.
It was a game that I was really happy to be a part of, although – of course – disappointed with the result.
The players will be looking to create their own memories in the competition, but they cannot take Morecambe lightly.
Yes, they are struggling in League Two but it will be a real battle – Salop will have to earn the right to play.
When I used to play, for games like this the message from the manager always used to be not to come back in wishing you had done more.
The Shrimps are managed by former Telford defender Jim Bentley and they will be just like him – big, strong and physical.
They will raise their game against Town and I do not think it will be easy.
Paul has said recently that he wants the club to back him in January to provide the best chance of sustaining a push for promotion in League One.
Junior Brown has proved a big loss and the sending off of Abu Ogogo at Rotherham left a big hole as well.
Paul came out, in a polite way, and said he will need some extra players in January – and without those two as of late, they have not been the same.
Two or three players will be needed, especially considering Ben Godfrey’s loan is up.
Paul is a very forward-thinking manager – he knows that he always has to be on the lookout for players to improve the team.
You want to be able to cater for every possible occasion and any particular incidents such as injuries or suspensions – you want a plan B, C and D up your sleeve.
