Steve Cotterill insists Shrewsbury character down to pre-season bonding

Town have enjoyed a fine start to the League One term, sitting ninth in the table having picked up 15 points from their opening 10 games.

And Cotterill credits the pre-season trip to Spain for allowing the group to become stronger both on and off the pitch.

“A journey has to start somewhere,” said Cotterill. “I think in pre-season sometimes it takes that trip abroad away from own home comforts where you are all put together.

“Where you share a room with someone, and you eat next to them, then you run your socks off with them.

“We had a real good bonding in Spain. And the boys that have come in (later) – Carl (Winchester), Christian (Saydee) and Rob (Street) – have really bought in and they are really good characters which is why the group has accepted them.

“That is a credit to the group and a credit to the three boys. I think that is where the character comes from.”

Town enjoyed a pre-season training camp in Valencia between July 2 and July 9. Part of the week saw them host an open training session at their Oliva Nova Beach and Golf Resort base for fans who had made the trip.

Due to Covid restrictions, it was the first training camp abroad for Salop since 2019, when they travelled to Portugal under Sam Ricketts.

Cotterill added on the benefits of going over to Spain: “Sometimes in life when you have had your successes the journey has to start somewhere.

“I thought that was the start of something that I feel within the group here.

“They have shown great character and they are going to have to keep showing it.”

Meanwhile, centre-half Tom Flanagan is returning to Town after a productive international break.

The 30-year-old played every minute as Northern Ireland beat Kosovo 2-1 before a 3-1 defeat to Greece.

Academy midfielder Travis Hernes also made two 45-minute appearances for Norway Under-18s following his first-ever international call-up.