Fans vote Steve Cotterill has done good Shrewsbury job
The majority of Shrewsbury Town supporters believe Steve Cotterill has done a good job in his first 18 months at the club, according to a Shropshire Star fans’ survey.
Results from votes collated over the last seven days highlighted that 55 per cent of Shrewsbury voters felt the manager had done well in his first year-and-a-half in charge.
Town have recorded League One finishes of 17th and 18th in the former Bristol City manager’s first two seasons in charge – though he was only appointed in November 2020 and spent the entire second half of that season away with illness.
A large majority of 85 per cent voted they were not pleased with last season’s finish of 18th as Town failed to build and improve on their standing in the third tier from the previous campaign.
Sixty-seven per cent of supporters stated that their expectation last season was to finish in the top half of the division under Cotterill, something Town have managed just once in their seven seasons back in League One.
Twenty-five per cent of voters said their expectation for the campaign was to be in the bottom half.
Looking ahead to the upcoming 2022/23 season, meanwhile, a sizeable chunk of 73 per cent revealed their expectation was a top half finish.
Town avoided the drop reasonably comfortably, by three places and 10 points, but 66 per cent of fans voted that surviving relegation should not be considered successful.
On the playing front, midfielder Luke Leahy, an award winner at the club’s end of season awards, won the majority of votes from fans as player of the season (64 per cent) and most impressive signing (53 per cent). Daniel Udoh and Marko Marosi, respectively, were second in the voting.
Nottingham Forest midfielder Tyrese Fornah was, unsurprisingly, overwhelming winner of the most impressive loan player vote.
Club legend Shaun Whalley has been linked with a move to League One rivals Accrington Stanley after his departure from Town but 48 per cent of Shrews fans voted they would have kept the experienced attacker at the club. Thirty-six per cent of voters understood his departure after seven seasons.
A majority of 62 per cent would like to see Town operate with a bigger squad than that of last season.
Off the pitch, 79 per cent of Shrewsbury fans voted in favour of chairman Roland Wycherley.
Eighty-eight per cent of voters said they were happy with ticket prices, which have gone up for the first time in seven years for the new season, while 86 per cent are satisfied with the matchday experience at Montgomery Waters Meadow.
Supporters feel the best way for the club to attract more season ticket holders would be to introduce more incentives.
