Satisfied Graham Turner today hailed 2011 as a year of healthy progress for Shrewsbury Town – as they prepare to launch a New Year’s weekend double header at Bradford tomorrow.

While the Holy Grail of League One football again proved elusive, boss Turner believes his squad has been strengthened considerably over the past 12 months.

And he is confident they are well placed to mount a sustained charge for a top three finish in League Two over the second half of the campaign. “As a whole, there is a tinge of disappointment we didn’t make it last season,” said Turner.

“The last January transfer window was very hectic and I felt, having worked with the squad, we needed to make a few changes back then.

“We changed seven, eight, nine and I thought we deserved to get promotion over the season as a whole.

“Some of the circumstances conspired against us and in the play-offs we didn’t perform and it proved costly.

“But when I look at the squad as a whole, we are far stronger now than we were 12 months ago.

“We have got competition for places, cover for positions and some young players making good progress in the game.

“There is plenty of potential there for the team to get better.

“I’m not one that doesn’t talk abut promotion. That’s the whole aim of this season and it’s looking quite promising.”

Town will hope to bridge the one-point gap which separates them from the top three in the quickfire double header at Bradford tomorrow and at home to Northampton on Monday.

The Bantams are languishing down in 19th but have picked up seven points from their last three games, including a victory at Southend and a resounding 3-0 triumph over Crewe.

“They have just started to pick up a bit of form and it’s a big club by League Two standards,” added Turner.

“There should be a decent gate there but we can respond to the challenge.

“I’m told they are working tremendously hard as a team, pressurising the ball all over the pitch.

“We have to make sure it doesn’t upset ours.”