Aaron Wilbraham rallies Shrewsbury Town troops as best he can after a ‘scary’ few days

The Shrewsbury assistant has remained a point of contact with his manager, former boss and friend Steve Cotterill as the Salop chief was admitted into ICU as his condition worsened last week.

Wilbraham, who as recently as the summer was still looking for a playing contract in the lower leagues, has taken training alongside academy boss Dave Longwell at Sundorne Castle from Friday as Shrewsbury’s period of isolation came to an end.

The Covid-19 crisis at Shrewsbury has rocked the club. Scores of players have suffered as the virus spread like wildfire.

Wilbraham will tonight – in circumstances he would have prayed against – make his managerial debut, alongside Longwell, at Ralph Hasenhuttl’s high-flying Southampton, eighth in the top flight, in the delayed third round.

As you might expect, the days have flown by for Wilbraham, with scarcely a chance to take stock, apart from worrying phone conversations with Cotterill, who struggled to find his voice from hospital.

The frenetic period could hardly come at a tougher time for the former veteran striker, who lost his mum Gail to illness almost a year ago to the weekend. In that sense, perhaps, the distraction was welcome.

“It was quite an emotional weekend, it was the weekend one year ago that I lost my mum as well,” said Wilbraham, who this time last year made headlines globally in scoring a third-round equaliser for Rochdale against Newcastle aged 40, in memory of his mum, and joined a select band including Sir Stanley Matthews in doing so. “It was the last thing I needed, it was horrible news. Everyone was just worried, I was on the phone to everyone, Saturday was a crazy day.

“It was scary news – being so close to him it did affect me, but the next day Sunday and yesterday it’s been non-stop improvement, so it’s been good.”

Ex-Bristol City frontman Wilbraham, who was appointed in December, added: “With the amount of stuff we’ve been doing it’s took my mind of things regarding my family. I’ve just been focused on making sure the manager is OK and the players are right.

“It’s been a hard weekend emotionally and work-wise but I’ve really enjoyed it, it’s really satisfying when you see the results on the training ground and the lads buying into stuff.”

Fifty-two places separate Saints and Salop in the pyramid. In upsetting the odds and knocking out Hasenhuttl’s hosts, Town will eliminate top-flight opposition away from home for the first time in their 145-year history.

Town’s staff have been stretched. Goalkeeper coach Brian Jensen has not been able to return due to the virus, so too fitness coach Andy Johnson, who set players exercises during the isolation programmes to retain their fitness, if not match sharpness. Just one player is still having to isolate and will miss the tie for that reason.

Wilbraham has been balancing time between preparing training, leading the troops, and keeping tabs on his boss while relaying messages to players.

Cotterill’s deputy said the boss was cheered up by messages of support from his players and the manager hasn’t held back from supplying tactical and selection advice from the intensive care unit as Town aim to make history for him.

Predicted XI:

Town (3-5-2): Sarkic; Williams, Ebanks-Landell, Pierre; Vela, Norburn (c), Edwards, Chapman, C Daniels; Whalley, Udoh.

Subs: Burgoyne, Golbourne, Pennington, Goss, J Daniels, Cummings, Clarke.

Prediction: Away win (on penalties)