Steve Cotterill returns home to his family after 33 days in Bristol hospital battling Covid-19

The Town boss contracted Covid-19 during a widespread outbreak at the football club in January and, having become very ill at home with his wife, was admitted to hospital.

That weekend he spent a couple of nights in the hospital's intensive care unit.

The former Bristol City manager, who was appointed at Montgomery Waters Meadow in November, was last week placed on a three-day high dosage steroid drip, with doctors confident the treatment will increase his chances of returning home.

And Cotterill has, after a total of 33 days in hospital, been released to return to his Bristol family home, where he will continue to work remotely with his coaching staff during the next phase of his recovery.

In a statement, Shrewsbury said Cotterill was keen to pay tribute to Dr Katrina Curtis and the nurses on the A800 ward.

Assistant manager Aaron Wilbraham and former academy boss David Longwell, who had been promoted to interim first-team coach, have been looking after first-team affairs in his absence. Town have subsequently played six matches, winning three and losing three.

Cotterill has still been heavily involved, however, behind the scenes. He had the final say on January transfer business with head of recruitment Keith Burt and chief executive Brian Caldwell.

And the boss has delivered detail both for training and matchdays, including pre-match and half-time team talks.

Supporters last week paid tribute to the manager for 'putting his body on the line', by raising more than £3,000 for a banner to be placed above the home dugout at the Meadow.