Goalkeeper Matt Gilks is eager to renew his relationship with manager Paul Simpson – and repay his faith with clean sheets in the Shrewsbury Town goal.

The 26-year-old custodian has joined Town on a month’s loan from Championship club Blackpool and looked set to go straight into the team for today’s League Two clash at Lincoln.

Gilks played under Simpson during the manager’s spell in charge at Rochdale and went on to make almost 200 appearances for the men from Spotland.

He moved to Norwich at the start of last season but did not start a game before linking up with Blackpool during the summer.

“For an old manager to come back in for me is great and shows I must have done something right first time around,” said Gilks.

“If you stay on good terms with people when you leave a club then you never know when it might prove useful in the future.

“The manager has been nice enough to bring me back into his plans and hopefully I will repay the favour.”

Gilks has found life at Bloomfield Road frustrating, having not made a single appearance for boss Simon Grayson’s Championship outfit.

So he jumped at the chance to move to the Prostar Stadium – and has not ruled out extending his stay beyond the initial month that has been agreed.

“The plan is to try and get a good few games under my belt and then we will see what happens,” he said.

“To go back to Blackpool just to sit on the bench is not what I want to do and, who knows, maybe I can extend my time here if I do well.

“If I can help Shrewsbury keep moving up League Two and winning games then that’s good for me and good for the team.”

Gilks added: “I’m very vocal – I don’t stop shouting all the time. 

“I’m a committed goalkeeper and hopefully I can build up a good relationship with the back four here.”

By CHRIS HUDSON