Dave Edwards: Fixtures computer has done Shrewsbury Town no favours

I was with the Shrewsbury Town Foundation where they held a breakfast meeting on the morning the fixtures were released.

I remember seeing them in Smithy’s Bar and they were the two I noticed, back-to-back, Plymouth away on a Tuesday night and then Portsmouth. Exeter in midweek later to come too.

From a players’ point of view, firstly, it’s an absolute nightmare.

I used to hate going the night before for Tuesday night games. But when it’s that far away you have to, otherwise you’re up really early in the morning, having four or five hours on the bus, having to get lunch in quite early as well as your rest to get the journey out of your body.

It’s all a bit crammed in, and you’re probably tired from the early morning! So it’s best to go the night before, but whenever I’ve done that you feel lethargic, because you spend all day waiting in the hotel, hanging around, it’s something I never enjoyed doing.

The knock-on effect is getting home about 3am. It’s hard enough to ever sleep after a night game, your body will seize after a long journey so Wednesday is a write-off. Thursday will be a work day but you probably need a later start to sleep well to recover.

To then tie in another one, Portsmouth on the Saturday, which will mean an early departure on Friday to miss traffic, is terrible from a players’ perspective. Steve Cotterill will probably have to rotate his squad more to get some freshness for that second game. I wouldn’t enjoy it!

I remember asking chief executive Brian Caldwell that morning whether there would ever be chance of staying down for the period between the games but the costs would be huge.

It’s also not ideal being away from family for three or four nights. You don’t think about cost as a player, having food put out and all of that, but to stay down there between those games – it’s just inconceivable a club like Shrewsbury could do that. You’re probably looking at thousands a night and then food and training facilities.

I feel it’s really unfair on Shrewsbury, a huge ask on a small squad and for the manager.

I do believe it’s ‘little old Shrewsbury’ when fixtures are pulled out. ‘Is it unfair? Oh we’ll get on with it and brush over that’.

Whereas if it was a Derby County would they do it? The cynic in me says they wouldn’t. It’s a massive disadvantage. If they get any points from Plymouth or Portsmouth it’ll be a massive achievement.

It was a shame Town couldn’t sustain that winning home run on Saturday but it was a game they probably didn’t do enough to win.

They could’ve won it, though, with the chances created and that’s probably a good sign when you are not at your best.

I commentated on Charlton the week before and they blew Portsmouth away, so they can be a good side.

Maybe the visitors edged the chances but Town had the best chance and I’m adamant if Tom Bayliss scores the goal at 0-0 then we go and win that game.

There will be a bit of disappointment at the defending for Charlton’s goal but I always felt whoever got the first goal would see it out.

Town are taking good sides like Charlton, in decent form, right until the end, which bodes well.