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Shrewsbury’s dream is over
Saturday 23rd May 2009, 5:21PM BST.
Neil Ashton sits dejected on the ground after the final whistle
Shrewsbury Town saw their dream of promotion to Coca Cola League One shattered just moments from the final whistle.
But thousands of their loyal fans walked out of Wembley with their heads held high.
The fans were still behind their team and singing Shrewsbury songs in recognition of the players’ efforts.
Speaking after the match, Shrewsbury manager Paul Simpson said it had been a cruel loss for the team, but he admitted they had not played at the level of which they were capable.
Mr Simpson said the result had been a “massive disappointment” and it would take “a lot of time to get over it”.
Speaking from Wembley, Shropshire Star reporter Russell Roberts said the outcome had been “cruel”.
“In the first half Shrews were pretty poor and the rode their luck at times, but in the second half they created the most chances and looked most likely to score.
“They went close on a number of occasions before that cruel goal in the 90th minute wrecked any hopes of a win.
“I feel gutted. It’s deflating to lose in that way in the 90th minute. Everyone was expecting it to go to extra time, and possibly a penalty shoot-out, but obviously that goal has left everyone feeling sunk.”
- For full match coverage, pictures and reports, don’t miss the Shropshire Star’s eight-page pull out special on Monday.
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well done to a poor gillingham, shrewsbury on the day were very poor and that performance just about summed up our season, time to reflect and build a team for next season a new keeper 2 fullbacks a centre half a complete midfield and a new striker or possibly two and for the people who turned up to wembley today and have never seen the town dont bother coming again, the worst wembley atmosphere in three outings.
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Ha ha ha!
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So glad Shewsbury lost. No Shrewsbury fan had suffer the total over kill and the three page totaly utter overkill when Telford played their play off final in an none
nuteral ground. No three page pull out for us but still just an important game.
Come Shopshire Star give us equal coverage. We all pay for the coverage whether Telford or Shrewsbury.
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Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
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Oh dear how sad :-)
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Haha maybe because were the best team in shropshire, you’ll get your coverage when you move up a few leagues.
unlucky town probably didnt deserve to win but deserved draw based on second half, absolutly gutted but on to next year already got my season ticket
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we was robed again
ref was poor as always it wasnt even a corner that lead to there goal
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Whether or not it was a corner that led to Gillingham securing a vital victory is besides the point. The point is that on the day it just wasn’t to be Shrewsbury Town’s fortune but hey such players are supposed to be professionals so if they can’t pick themselves up for next seasons campaign then maybe Mr Simpson should think about making some change’s once the new season get’s underway?
Well done to Gillingham for whom following there first half performance probably deserved the result in the end?
Thierry
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I was totally frustrated, I didn’t think Simpson gave it our best shot. Chris Humphrey should have been substituted at half time, it was like playing with 10 men in the second half. Ashikodi would have been a much better substitution for Chadwick than Risa. Having witnessed massive support at Dagenham and Bury I was very disappointed with animated sections of the crowd who contributed nothing to the occasion. Automatic promotion must be the priority next season.
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Heather, you seem to be trying to justify your schadenfreude by blaming a newspaper pull-out?
AFC Telford are two leagues below Shrewsbury Town.
AFC Telford get regular gates of two men and a dog.
AFC Telford are in every conceivable way the poorer and smaller neighbours of Shrewsbury Town.
Get over yourself, Heather, and try to stop blaming your petite bourgeoisie attitude on the media.
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unlucky lads, great play
i wasnt there but i heard all about it,
beter luck next time and hopefully i will be there.
gd luck in all ur matches i would love to come and see u but i aint got the money and i would love a session ticket ;(
but good luck lads
xxxx
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Should have gone up automatically but too many drawn games in the second half of the season was our undoing.
Need to rebuild the team for next year. Come on you Blues
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Sorry but Shrewsbury were poor and the fans were quiet all match. Gillingham play good passing football not the hoof over the top. You caught Gillingham out at the begining of the season but we learnt the hard way after comming down that there were a few teams that hoof the ball over the top. You need to sign at least 5/6 players for next season.
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Chester relegated Hereford relegated Wrexham not good enough for conference play offs Telford not good enough for the conference so maybe losing at Wembley was not so bad
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Didn’t earn promotion, didn’t deserve promotion. Gillingham have played consistantly well all season. Stfc have had a poor season and scraped into 7th place on the back of some lucky results in other games and point deductions from other teams. At least the 17,000 glory hunting fair weather fans can be put back into storage now and we can read about something else in the star!
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Absolutely gutted for the town, felt I had to support them coz I live here, was very disappointed with the result and felt a real sadness for all after the big build up. Never mind, it has happened, no amount of talking will change the outcome.
Disappointed that our illerate neighbours from ‘The land of the great unwashed’ feel the need to gloat at our loss, for your information, I supported you too during your campaign !!!
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It doesn’t really matter what anyone says. We have had a great run, been to some great matches in the play offs, and in the end it wasn’t to be. There are going to be massive changes next season and that is something to look forward to. Nobody can take it away from STFC – reached the play off final twice in three seasons! Already got our season tickets and looking forward to the new season! Shame about the sour grapes – concentrate on supporting your own team and don’t worry about Shrewsbury Town! After all we don’t mind either way what happents to yours! Certainly couldn’t be bothered to write a comment about it on here!
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annie,
Surely your oxymoronic last sentence is a comment in itself?
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You misunderstood me Dick – I did not write in when Telford were in the play offs – wishing them luck or otherwise! It doesn’t concern me! I cannot understand why people worry about other teams!
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To andy street, People complain about people not going , and now your complaining that people shouldn’t go , when all they are doing is showing their support for their local team , whats so bad about that ? , Lots of people cant afford to go to all the games , but they went and showed their support to there team, dispite the credit crunch.
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I am not a Shrewsbury supporter but I really felt for them after that appalling refereeing decision which denied them the opportunity to be given a fair chance.The title of “Assistant ref. was presumably given to linesmen in order for them to participate more in decision making but it has failed as I`m convinced most refs don`t take a blind bit of notice of them.
Week in week out we see games beong decided by bad decision making,yet week in week out the same refs are out there without any apparent disciplinary action.
In the Telford/York semi final the ref twice awarded free kicks to York after two of their players collided without a Telford player being near and one of these resulted in an important goal being disallowed but I`l wager he will be out there again this year doing the same thing.
I cant even say bad luck Shrews. because it was simply bad refereeing [ again ]
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Don’t know what all the fuss is about, it’s only a game!
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