We’ll be up there, vows Davies

Club captain Ben Davies believes Shrewsbury Town will be a contender for the League Two title this season, and insisted: “I’ve got unfinished business here.”Town get their first taste of pre-season action when they travel to Blue Square North side Stafford Rangers tomorrow (3pm).

That game comes with the squad having just returned from a four-day training camp in Spain in the early hours of this morning - and Davies believes that has got them in the mood to get going.

The 27-year-old has had his name linked with a move away from the club during the close season, but today declared that he was going nowhere.

“I’ve got another year left on my contract and I will honour that, unless the club tells me differently,” he said.

“I feel I’ve still got unfinished business here. I was brought in by the previous manager (Gary Peters) to get us out of this league, along with other players, and I still see that as my job.

“I really want us to have a go this year. With the players we’ve brought in, the quality and depth we’ve got in the squad, I don’t see why we can’t be aiming for the top spot, and definitely the top three.

“All the lads Paul Simpson has brought in, apart from young Stephen Hindmarch, are experienced - and that was what we lacked a bit last year.

“Across the back four, especially, he’s steadied the ship and it bodes well.”

Shrewsbury only arrived back in Shropshire at 3.30am after a week of hard work in Almeria.

And Davies believes the experience will benefit the squad as they prepare for the League Two campaign.

“The lads found it hard work, but it was brilliant and we’ve come back fitter and stronger,” he said.

“I’ve been on a couple of these sort of things before, but I can never remember them being as tough as this.

“We were getting up at 6.30am to train at 7am, then again in the afternoon and then again in the evening.

“We had very little time to ourselves and, if we did, it was a chance to relax.

“We’re looking forward to the games now. Stafford will be in our faces tomorrow and it will be good on Tuesday to play West Brom as they will have a lot of ability.”

By Chris Hudson