Shropshire Star

Gillingham boss Steve Evans: Shrewsbury Town in automatic mix

Gillingham boss Steve Evans has tipped ambitious Shrewsbury Town among the sides competing for automatic promotion from League One next season.

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Steve Cotterill’s Shrewsbury are busy working away in the transfer window having already made a handful of significant signings, with the identity of targets, including at right-back, goalkeeper, central midfield and up front, locked down.

And eye-catching deals could be set to continue with Town’s big-hitting League One rivals taking note of the club’s ambition. Evans said: “With a number of Championship clubs struggling financially it appears to me the big spenders and gamblers are in League One.

“I offer only extreme caution as the last thing we need is the likes of Bolton Wanderers and Bury happening more often.

“We have made a few decent signings and I am sure time will tell with a couple that I am a better judge of a player than some others.

“We identified a list of players early in June and we are working our way through it. We are perhaps over analysing now but doing the opposite is simply not an option.

“EFL One has Sunderland, Charlton, Rotherham, Wycombe, Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich Town, Wigan Athletic, Oxford United, Shrewsbury Town, Doncaster Rovers and Plymouth Argyle all expected to compete for automatic promotion.

“So our task to improve on last season’s 10th place finish is a huge ask given the resources, but we will be organised, efficient and we will also have a number of exceptional players in our squad.

“We will find a way to be competitive; the challenge is exciting in a league that many are now describing as a Championship 2.”

Meanwhile, Shrewsbury will learn their draw for the EFL Cup and Trophy tomorrow afternoon, following the league fixtures release.