Paul Simpson prepares his table-topping Shrewsbury Town side for the acid test of three away games inside a week – admitting: “We’re there to be shot at.”
Town travel to Notts County on Saturday and to Morecambe the following weekend with a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy first round trip to Exeter City sandwiched in between on Tuesday night. Simpson acknowledges it’s a testing schedule for the early League Two leaders but feels it’s a challenge his confident players should embrace.
“It will give us a really good idea of where we’re at,” he said.
“We’ve had a good start and want to keep it going as long as possible. But we’re not daft and know there will be setbacks along the way.
“We’re there to be shot at every game regardless of where we are. But I’d much rather be where we are than be down at the wrong end of the table.”
One of Simpson’s main aims this term was addressing Town’s poor away record which saw them win just three times on the road last season, and they started this year’s away fixtures in the right way with a 1-0 win at Exeter a fortnight ago.
He took the chance to watch Notts County, Saturday’s opponents, as they were knocked out of the Carling Cup with a 4-0 defeat at Premier League Wigan Athletic on Tuesday night, but he expects a different Magpies side this weekend.
“They made a few changes but it was a decent game and I saw a few things from them,” said Simpson.
“They’ve got a good stadium, a lot of history and in Iain McParland they’ve got a manager who is very ambitious and wants to get them at the right end of the table.
“They’re going to be a good test for us and they’ve got young players out wide with plenty of pace.
“They’ve also got a goalscorer in Jamie Forrester, who didn’t play at Wigan, and Delroy Facey, an experienced striker at this level.”
Simpson, who was set to field a strong side in last night’s reserve team clash at home to Sheffield Wednesday, added he wasn’t expecting a flurry of transfer activity at the Prostar Stadium before the window closes this weekend.
He said he had no plans to enter the transfer market for reinforcements despite injuries taking their toll in the early weeks of the season. Graham Coughlan, Richard Walker, Paul Murray and David Hunt are all currently sidelined, but Simpson is satisfied he has enough strength within his squad.
The Town boss admitted he would be prepared to loan out some of his fringe players to give them first team football, but young keeper Jasbir Singh, who has joined Bridgnorth on a temporary basis, is the only one to head through the exit door so far.
“There’s not been any movement on any of our players,” he said.
“I think it would do some of them good if there was an opportunity to go out and play a few games.”
l Former Town striker Andy Cooke has announced his retirement from football after a 16-year career.
l See page 85 for more Town news including the views of experienced defender Graham Coughlan.
