New Shrewsbury boss understands mixed emotions

After guiding Town to a third-placed League One finish, and the play-off final at Wembley which they ultimately lost 2-1, Hurst made the decision to move on from Shropshire.

He joined Ipswich, with his spell with the Tractors Boys only lasting a couple of months as he was sacked in October of his first season.

And he can understand why some Shrewsbury fans may still be frustrated by this.

“I kind of understand to a degree,” he said. “But if they were really honest and looked at the situation, and I think that is why most people can kind of accept it.

“They would understand why I perhaps made that decision, but at the same time, I was on a very upward trajectory.

“My life as a football manager was too easy in all honesty, apart from losing play-off games I had kind of won promotions no matter where they were in non-league. They still mattered and meant a lot, and everything just went so well that maybe I needed a couple of bad experiences for difference to almost leave a bit of a scar and maybe make you think more about all these things that are again part of life.”

The new boss has a big job on his hands to keep Town in the division as they are in the midst of a relegation battle. It has been almost six years since he was last in the Shrewsbury Town dugout, and in that time he has managed Scunthorpe as well as Grimsby.

And he says he feels very fortunate to be able to come back to Shrewsbury.

He continued: “People go through it in what people class as more normal jobs day to day.

“Football is no different it is how you learn from them and how you respond.

“In this case, I feel very fortunate that I got a chance to come back and work with a lot of good people. All I can say is that I will be doing everything I can to bring good times to the football club.

“Whatever success looks like for Shrewsbury Town that is what we will be striving for.”

Hurst and his team will make the trip to Northampton tomorrow for his first game in charge.