It’s time to pinch yourself and rub your eyes in a frenzied manner, writes our Shrews Blogger David Craig. Yes, it does read correctly. Salop are in the semi-finals of a cup competition. Shout it from the rooftops.
Now if you wish to be pedantic, you could argue that due to northern/southern divides, we are, strictly speaking, in the last eight of the JP Trophy, but that doesn’t sound as good to me, so let me proclaim that Shrewsbury Town are now in the Semi-Finals Southern Section of the this highly regarded competition.
Bring on the Notts Forest! Or Brighton!
Tuesday’s 3-2 win over League One strugglers Cheltenham Town, was an excellent but somewhat surprising win. Due to Gary Peters general lack of enthusiasm for this tie, Salop commenced, and indeed finished proceedings at Whaddon Road with a few first teamers, a few fringe players and a trialist in our midst, but clearly this did not matter one bit, as we grabbed a deserved 88th minute winner through the ever improving Michael Symes.
Cheltenham will know that with home advantage, and their usual first XI starting, they should have been able to overcome our pick ‘n’ mix side, but they clearly overlooked that it is our destiny to be appear at the Millennium Stadium in 2007.
My only fear regarding our unstoppable progress in this JP Trophy is that when we have done well previously when the competition has been running under various other glamorous guises, things have ended in disaster.
Under “grey haired loser” Fred Davies’s managerial reign, we made it all the way to Wembley for the final. Sadly dear old Fred went a bit crazy with his team selection and tactics, and we played naff and lost to Rotherham.
In 2002-2003, we reached the Northern Final, got a bit excited, lost to Carlisle, and then two months later . . . well Ii don’t need to tell any Salopian what followed, let’s just say it was Margate at home not long after. I’m still taking my post-Ratcliffe medication.
So, whilst we all found Peters’ post victory interview on Tuesday to be one of the most deflating interviews ever recorded, at least we can take comfort that he won’t allow one of the above mishaps to happen. I hope.
Back to the serious business of League Two footy on Saturday. It’s Accrington Stanley away. Time to wheel out that tired old milk advert again: “Accrington Stanley, who are they?”
Three points should be ours for the taking. COME ON SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALOP!!!
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