Assistant manager Aaron Wilbraham met with the media ahead of our FA Cup clash with York.
Town welcome the Minstermen to Montgomery Waters Meadow in the first round of the competition on Saturday.
York, who are managed by former Shrewsbury boss John Askey, won promotion from National League North last season and currently sit 11th in the National League.
Speaking ahead of the game, Aaron reflected on a gruelling few days that saw us travel to take on both Plymouth and Portsmouth last week - with Steve Cotterill's side battling their way to an excellent point at Fratton Park.
The assistant boss also gave an update on the fitness of Julien Dacosta and Aiden O'Brien and discussed youngster Kade Craig joining AFC Telford United on loan.
Finally, Aaron was quizzed on Town players Elliott Bennett, Chey Dunkely, Matt Pennington, Luke Leahy, Carl Winchester, Aiden O'Brien, Ryan Bowman, Harry Burgyone and Daniel Udoh - who it was revealed this week are studying for their coaching badges.
ON BEING BACK AT HOME FOLLOWING TWO LONG AWAY TRIPS:
"It was a long week and a lot of travelling but I think you saw the effort the boys put into both those games.
"I think looking at the Plymouth game, although it was a loss, it was important for the boys to take the positives.
"The gaffer has always said, if the lads are all in and they put everything in, it doesn’t matter what the result is.
"Obviously, we want to win games – but we could have been 3-0 up at half-time. We hit the bar twice, scored a good goal. We were really unlucky not to get something from that game. Now we’re looking forward to going again this weekend."
ON THE FA CUP:
"The FA Cup is one of the oldest competitions in the world – everyone talks about it.
"And you have to take these early rounds are seriously as if you were playing a Premier League team in the third round. That’s the mindset you have to have."
ON YORK CITY:
"We have prepared as well as we would for a league game. We have had a good look at them and obviously they are a good team. We are not going to take them lightly.
"We will go into it with the same focus as we do a league game."
ON JOHN ASKEY RETURNING TO SHREWSBURY:
"I always looked forward to going back to my former clubs and I’m sure John will be the same.
"I don’t know him personally but the manager was very complimentary when he was talking about him in our team meeting this morning.
"We know that John will want to come and get a result but we want to get the right result for Shrewsbury."
ON FA CUP MEMORIES:
"I remember reaching the fifth round with Stockport and playing Tottenham at White Hart Lane which was a great experience.
"To get to the fifth round with Stockport County was a real achievement and I remember the game and playing against Sol Campbell who Tottenham had at the time.
"More recently, when I was at Rochdale, I scored against Newcastle, an equaliser towards the end of the game.
"They are the two memories that stand out. I never got beyond the fifth round – that was the furthest I got.
"But it’s always been an exciting competition and one that as a kid you always want to say you played in, did well in and scored in."
ON THE PROSPECT OF FACING A BIG TEAM FURTHER ON:
"I think players in League One, League Two and below are looking to get to that third or fourth round and hopefully get a Premier League team.
"That is what everyone dreams of. You look at some of the ties we’ve had in recent years, the Liverpool game last year.
"We will look forward to that but not until we’ve done our job and taken care of the first two rounds. It’s going to be a difficult game against York on Saturday."
ON JULIEN DACOSTA AND AIDEN O’BRIEN:
"It's unlikely that we will see Julien now until December. And with Aiden, although nothing clear has come back on the scan, we’re just going to continue to do his rehab and get him stronger in the gym – hopefully there will be no more set-backs."
ON KADE CRAIG:
"I think it’s good for the player to get that experience. I think the manager would have done it (loaning players out) more often in the past if it hadn’t been for having a lighter squad and things like Covid.
"It’s got to the time where we can do that now, it’s good for Kade and by all accounts speaking to the Telford staff he has done well in the first two games he's played.
"It’s good to see and good for young players to play men’s football, experience it and do well."
ON SHREWSBURY PLAYERS DOING THEIR COACHING BADGES:
"I think it’s something a lot of players like to do. I was at Bristol City with the gaffer when I started to do my UEFA B and A Licence.
"It's something that people always want to get in their pocket for later in their careers and when they finish playing.
"It’s a good chance to do it while you are still playing and you have got the option of the help from the PFA.
"I think it’s great the lads are doing it. It makes you look at the game from a different aspect. I know I look at it differently now I have come on this side of it having played for 24 years.
"In the two years I’ve had at Shrewsbury I’ve probably learnt more about the game than in those 24 years as a player because you watch games in a totally different way."
