Manager Says There Will Be No Sentiment From Him
Manager Micky Mellon insists there will be no sentiment from him when Shrewsbury Town face his former club Fleetwood Town on Boxing Day.
Shrewsbury take on the Cod Army in Sky Bet League 1 at Greenhous Meadow on Saturday (3pm kick-off) looking to get back to winning ways.
Micky spent four years in charge at Fleetwood during their rise into the Football League.
But the Scot admits he is focussed solely on the game itself.
"There’s obviously a huge connection between myself and Fleetwood," said Micky.
"We’re looking forward to the game it’s not about me. It’s about me getting this group of players ready again and working on things that we’ve got to get better at and keeping the standards high of the things that they are doing very well.
"It should be a good game of football as, in parts, Saturday was.
“I’m sure the Boxing Day crowd that come along will see a good game of football."
Although the boss would not be dragged into a lengthy discussion on the arrival of his former employers, several of the Town first-team have insisted they want to win it for the gaffer.
"That’s very kind of them to say that but that’s not the way I’m thinking about the game and I never do that anyway," said Micky.
"You all know that when we’re up against Barnsley or a Tranmere, it’s never been about me. I always keep my focus on the job that’s got to be done and try to continue the things that we’ve got to do.
"We don’t have to do anymore or shouldn’t be asked to do anymore just because we are playing against an ex team. You should be hitting those levels of performance all the time anyway. But it’s a game I’m looking forward to."
Despite Saturday’s home reverse to Swindon, Town now embark on a run of three festive fixtures against teams in and around them and with crucial points up for grabs, Micky is hopeful that a little more aggression in the final third will send them back to winning ways.
“If we can just fix that 18-yard-box stuff, and I know people will be saying that’s every club, but we absolutely know what we have to do to give us a chance,” added Micky.
“All the other stats of what we have to hit are very high, we just need to concentrate on being more aggressive in the 18-yard-box and getting the first contacts and I’m sure we will be on the end of better results.
“There are big parts of the performances that I could show anybody whether that be the closing down, the passing, the defending – I’ve got to be happy with. But it’s the results at the end of the day that counts and in order to try and get those results you’ve got to be better in both 18-yard-boxes.”