Peter Reid today hailed Shrewsbury Town as one of League Two’s top teams – insisting Saturday’s season opener would give his Plymouth Argyle a ‘yardstick’ of what to expect.

Boss Reid – the former Everton and England midfielder who has also managed teams including Manchester City, Sunderland and Leeds – has taken on the toughest assignment of his career at administration-hit Plymouth.

He brings the crisis club to the Greenhous Meadow on Saturday for their return to the basement division after back-to-back relegations.

And, having already made one pre-season scouting trip to Shropshire, he knows they will be given a stern examination by Graham Turner’s promotion hopefuls.

“They are a good footballing side,” said Reid, who has won much admiration from Plymouth fans for sticking by the Devon club despite their well-publicised financial problems.

“Me and Shaun (his brother, and Argyle coach) saw them recently against a Manchester United XI.

“They knocked the ball about well, and it’s a great new stadium.

“I’m looking forward to it, and it should be a really good game.

“We have got Shrewsbury and Rotherham coming up at the start of the season, who are both good in this league, and Millwall in the Carling Cup, so we will have some decent yardsticks.”

Life in League Two is a new experience for Reid and a lot of his players, but the challenge does not faze him.

He said: “If you put the BBC or Sky on, you see all the games and all the goals, and you know football clubs anyway.

“It’s new for us, but Crawley – who are the favourites – and AFC Wimbledon are new to this league. It’s exciting.”

Reid is still trying to wheel and deal before Saturday, with moves for two strikers in the offering.

Talks with former Northern Ireland international Warren Feeney are ongoing while ex-Leeds striker Trésor Kandol – who has previously scored against Shrewsbury in his Barnet days – could also join.

By Chris Hudson