Shrewsbury Town defender Tom Flanagan: We should be even higher

Salop have won four out of their first 10 games and currently sit in the top 10, but they have also had some frustrating results in the first part of the campaign.

And although Flanagan admitted the start has been good, he insisted there have been moments of disappointment.

The defender said: “It’s been positive. There are a few frustrations there – we could be quite a bit higher, it seems crazy that I’m complaining we’re eighth or ninth in the table but we could be higher. There is a long way to go and a lot can happen.”

Despite creating a number of chances they were held to an opening day draw with Morecambe, before suffering a narrow defeat to Accrington Stanley in which Flanagan was sent off.

And after back-to-back wins, they stuttered at Port Vale earlier this month – beaten by a stoppage-time winner.

Flanagan added: “We have had a couple of results where we really should have won the game. What happened with me against Accrington. What we don’t want to be doing is looking back on those games at the end of the season so there is plenty of work to do.

“The first game of the season at Morecambe, we should have put that one to bed.

“Port Vale – we should have never lost that game. That is probably the low point of the season so far. We are a team that started quite well. Then we hit a stalemate. We are going good again but I think we will get better. That is a good position to be in and I think we could end up being there or thereabouts at the end of the season.”

Flanagan arrived at the club in January and has since been followed by a number of new signings – but despite the number of additions Salop’s squad remains relatively small in comparison to some other League One clubs. And Flanagan thinks that squad size is a positive when it comes to team spirit

He said: “For myself, it’s probably the smallest squad I have ever worked with but I see that as a positive.

“We don’t have people moping around if they aren’t playing. I totally understand why players do that, it’s frustrating and I’ve probably done that. But I think having that small squad helps the group because everyone knows they are right there or thereabouts.”