The trouble is with the size of crowd they can generate they are always going to struggle. They did well last year to stay up
Shrews and creepy Crawley are easily the two worst sides I’ve seen us play up to now. I like Shrewsbury and it’s sad to see how removed they are from the proud little club that used to routinely beat us at the old place in the old second division.
Under the Duff season, they were right up around the playoffs of league 1 until their last 4/5 games. I think at one point in the live standings they actually moved into 6th, I've got a bit of a soft spot for them. Think they ended the season with 4 losses in a row though and eventually petered out and finished in mid table (which was still a great finish for them). Close to being relegated last season though & doesnt lookgreat this season. Unfortunately, just another selling club who lose their best talent.
Did they Fitz, I think I remember us winning a few games there at the old Gay Meadow stadium (but I might be wrong lol). But they did beat us at theirs in the Stendel promotion season.
We were reminiscing en route today. Won in 82 & 88 but a solitary draw and 5 straight defeats sandwiched in between.
Neat little ground. Friendly locals. Nice sunny day. 3 points. Enjoyed myself today. My kind of away trip these days.
Always enjoyed my visits to Gay Meadow. No longer there I know... but in 88/89 I can recall the police lined up at the back of the away end eating fish and chips. They were bob on! We even got waved on on departure by officers and supporters alike.
New Years Eve mate. This is one from before the game. Cuz, Kev Eland, Gary Hughes, one of Smith twins and me - prob taken by Stu Wraith. We’d played footy that morning.
Yeah and that win will have added to the attendance for the home game two days later (into '89). But Hull won at ours thanks to two from Keith Edwards. Btw that is such an under rated season for me, where the potential just wasn't quite fulfilled, and we just missed out on the Play offs. And there were nearly 32 and a half thousand there, for the Everton Fa cup tie in Feb!.
Friendly supporters, the lady who was sit in front of me on the bus pretty much gave me a guided tour of the town as we drove from the bus station to the ground
I enjoyed that season. Think I only missed about five games home and away. Stand out games were the 5-3:win at St Andrews, Stoke in the Cup, and annihilating Chelsea four nowt!
First time I saw us play Shrewsbury was in about 1958. Arthur Rowley was their player-manager. He ran the game and scored a couple (I think!) of belters. He wiped the floor with us and is still their record scorer. I think he did the same thing at Gay Meadow but my memory is fading a bit these days.
I really enjoy going to grounds like these with fans of clubs that have no ideas of granduer turn up support their club but arnt living on past glories. When you go to clubs like Forest and they are giving it Billy big whatsits great won European cups which was some achievement but it was the 80s even I was a kid you are what you are now. It struck me at Old Trafford look round and its Fergie this Fergie won that man its 11yrs since he retired god knows how managers ago history is important but you can't let it get in the way of the future
