Two Shrewsbury Town Supporters Talk To Vital Lincoln City


The last time The Imps faced tonight’s opponents Shrewsbury Town in the EFL Trophy was on Sunday 8th April 2018 at Wembley Stadium in the final, in front of a crowd of 41,261, including around 27,000 City fans. The Imps won 1-0 that day thanks to an Elliott Whitehouse goal in the 16th minute. When the two sides met last season, both matches finished in draws, with the match at Sincil Bank in October finishing 0-0 and the away match in January finishing 1-1, with goals from Ollie Norburn (36′ PEN) and Tyler Walker (48′ PEN).

Ahead of tonight’s match, we have done a Q&A with two Shrewsbury Town supporters, so thank you to Chris and stuttgartershrew (from Blue and Amber) for answering our questions. The answers have been published on two pages. To get to the second set of answers, press “Click here for the next set of answers!” at the bottom right of the page, or click HERE.

If you would like to get involved with the conversation on 100% Imps, you can join our Shrewsbury Town v Lincoln City Match Thread! Every page view helps raise money for Lincoln City Football Club!

First up, the answers provided by Chris:

How long have you supported Shrewsbury Town?

Since 1974.

Where did you finish last season?

15th. Would be happy with that this year.

What do you think of your Manager?

Great appointment with lower league experience.

What are your hopes and expectations for the 2020/21 season?

Just hope our decent squad can perform to the best of their ability. Expect Steve to sort out our defence. We have several players of 30 plus. We need some younger players to give us more pace all over the pitch.

One(s) to watch?

Dan Udoh and Mat Millar.

Which teams you think will finish in the top six in League One?

Hull, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Peterborough and Lincoln.

Which teams do you think will finish in the bottom four in League One?

Hopefully Burton, Swindon, Rochdale and Northampton.

What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?

A well-run club with a solid fanbase. Might just do a Wycombe and sneak up.

What do you think the score will be?

1-1. Town to win on 4-2 on penalties.

POLL: Shrewsbury Town v Lincoln City: Who Will Go Through? - VOTE HERE!

Shrewsbury Town

Lincoln City

CLICK TO VOTE!

Random fact about your Club?

Won the Welsh Cup 6 times. We are in England. Honestly.

If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?

We have good enough players. Just need to start turning draws into wins.

What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as a Shrewsbury Town supporter?

Quite a few to be honest. Coming from 2 down to draw with Liverpool in FA Cup last season is up near the top. We really should have won that night.

Getting relegated to the Conference after losing 2-3 to Carlisle.

Who would you say is your most underrated player?

Brad Walker. Versatile and goes about his job quietly wherever he plays.

Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?

We have a Supporters Parliament. They are a vital link between the club and the supporters. Worked massively hard to get the safe standing in the Meadow. That was no small task but they got it done in the end.

Which was your favourite match involving Shrewsbury Town?

Last season we won at Stoke in FA Cup replay. 2 down and never looked like scoring. Then scored 3 in 8 minutes. That was unforgettable.

Which was your least favourite match involving Shrewsbury Town?

Play-off final loss to Rotherham. Second defeat at Wembley in the same season. The manager Paul Hurst had cleared his desk the day before the game. He was never coming back the next season.

Do you have a Former Players Association at Shrewsbury Town?

I don’t think we have one.

What is the best thing about Shrewsbury?

The wonderful walks along the River Severn.

Ricketts: A good decision to sack him and should he have gone last season? Was his football as negative and boring as it was against us in both games last year?

Good decision. He had no league experience when he came to us. Only the early finish to last season saved him. We had a tough last 12 games which never took place. We never scored enough goals and created very little some games. Painful to watch at times.

Still missing Gay Meadow or are you now settled at the new place?

Gay Meadow will always have a place in the hearts of the older town fans. Financially the club needed the new ground. Hard to believe it’s been 13 years.

Have you forgiven us for the events at Wembley, especially the early challenge by Matt Rhead on your keeper?

Forgiven but not forgotten. I wonder what VAR would make of it all. Matt Rhead’s assault and the handball on the goal line.

If you would like to get involved with the conversation on 100% Imps, you can join our Shrewsbury Town v Lincoln City Match Thread! Every page view helps raise money for Lincoln City Football Club!

And now for the answers provided by stuttgartershrew:

How long have you supported Shrewsbury Town?

I have been supporting Town since 1986.

Where did you finish last season?

A respectable 15th.

What do you think of your Manager?

Well, this is only his fourth game in as Town manager but it’s been an encouraging start (we haven’t yet managed to get our first home league win of the season as yet but I’d say the performances have improved).

What are your hopes and expectations for the 2020/21 season?

Considering the start we have made it’s just about avoiding relegation.

One(s) to watch?

Shaun Whalley.

Which teams you think will finish in the top six in League One?

I think those that currently make up the top six look a good bet to see it out for the rest of the season.

Which teams do you think will finish in the bottom four in League One?

Not Shrewsbury Town.

What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?

Well, you disappeared off the radar for a bit after the relegation to the Conference of course, but I think it’s been a very impressive return. And not just off the pitch, I think the crowds that you’re now getting into Sincil Bank is a credit to the club and the city.

What do you think the score will be?

Difficult to predict as who knows what changes we might see from either side but I’ll go 2-1 to the Town.

POLL: Shrewsbury Town v Lincoln City: Who Will Go Through? - VOTE HERE!

Shrewsbury Town

Lincoln City

CLICK TO VOTE!

Random fact about your Club?

I’ll go with the “safe standing”, that we are the first club in England and Wales to install it.

If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?

Sorry chaps, I don’t know any.

What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as a Shrewsbury Town supporter?

I think that would still be the 1993/94 4th division championship-winning season. The embarrassing moment would have to be the FA Cup loss to Histon some years back. I flew in and out from Stuttgart for that game, back in the pub here in Stuttgart for the highlights on MOTD.

Who would you say is your most underrated player?

I couldn’t point to anyone at the moment.

Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?

I don’t know about a Supporters Trust but we do have the Supporters Parliament and they’re brilliant for the club and the fans. Shrewsbury are the first club in England and Wales to install “safe standing”, so that just goes to show the work they do for the club and the fans. And more recently, I believe they have worked hard with the club in getting things ready and in place to allow fans back into the stadium with the ongoing pandemic. Can’t speak highly enough of them.

Which was your favourite match involving Shrewsbury Town?

If I had to pick one out I think it would be the home win against Everton in the FA Cup.

Which was your least favourite match involving Shrewsbury Town?

Histon (mentioned above) was pretty bad. I haven’t attended too many games over the years since living here in Germany but I’ve still landed on some right stinkers. There was a couple of trips to Rushden and Diamonds I’d like to forget but I think the 6-0 away loss to your near(ish) neighbours Boston probably tops the list.

Do you have a Former Players Association at Shrewsbury Town?

I’m afraid I don’t know that.

What is the best thing about Shrewsbury?

It a beautiful town in a beautiful part of the country.

Ricketts. A good decision to sack him and should he have gone last season. Was his football as negative and boring as it was against us in both games last year?

I do think it was time to move on. We did see some hints from time to time that things may improve but we were just never able to carry that over into the next game. So I wasn’t disappointed to see him replaced. It was the football from last season that was a tad boring and negative as we were pretty defensive (but we did look OK defensively), this was the season where we were supposed to have built on that defence and where Ricketts was supposed to have sorted out things higher up the pitch. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way.

Still missing The Gay Meadow or are you now settled at the new place?

A mixture of the two. I do miss walking into the old Meadow and looking across to the Riverside.

Have you forgiven us for the events at Wembley, especially the early challenge by Matt Rhead on your keeper?

Yeah, no issue. I’m not arsed about the Trophy, to be honest. I get over for important games (I made the trip over to the play-off final that season) but had no interest in attending the Trophy final. So nothing to forgive from my side anyhow.

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