Micky Mellon sorry for Shrewsbury loss
Manager Micky Mellon has apologised to Shrewsbury Town fans after admitting Saturday's 7-1 thrashing at Chesterfield was 'painful and embarrassing.'
Town suffered their biggest defeat for almost 52 years, since crashing 7-0 to Bristol Rovers on 21 March 1964.
The defeat was Salop's equal third biggest in the League, beaten by Rovers and their league record 8-1 loss to Coventry in the same season.
Town now sit just a point and a place above the League One drop zone and, should Blackpool beat Port Vale this Saturday, Salop would slip into the bottom four for the first time this season.
Angry fans bombarded a radio phone-in demanding Mellon's head and a website claimed the club is set to sack him, but chief executive Matt Williams is unaware of any such plans.
Mellon, himself, said sorry to Town fans explaining: "Is an apology the right thing to do?
"I think so because the people paid money to watch us play and represent their club and town better than we did on Saturday.
"It was painful, it was embarrassing and it's not something I want to have my name associated with.
"We're thoroughly disappointed and it was a performance that wasn't acceptable from League One players, or representative of what we're trying to do."
Williams said: "I've seen that (website story) but I genuinely haven't heard from anyone connected to the club since the game."
The two penalties they conceded made it 10 for the season, while Junior Brown – who conceded the second one – was sent off.
He will now be suspended for Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie at Cardiff. Anthony Gerrard and Abu Ogogo went off with hamstring injuries after the first goal.
Mellon said: "I was as shocked as everyone else. I take my responsibilities fully and I'm a proud guy - the team represents me.
"But as a manager, you've just got to move on, keep the players together and remind everyone of the last 10 or 11 games."
Mellon did not lock the players in the dressing room afterwards, nor did he bring them in for training yesterday.
Instead, the Town chief vowed to work with the existing players while trying to improve the squad in the transfer window this month.
He said: "We're grown men and professionals, we've got to take it on the chin.
"We need to make sure we deal with it properly and do what a manager is supposed to do, which is work with these players to try to fix things.
"You don't work against them or put all the blame on to anyone; you take responsibility yourself and do what you should which is try to help the players improve to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Meanwhile, Mellon denied interest in Hull left-back Conor Townsend after Tigers boss Steve Bruce claimed the club were interested.
The Shrews boss added: "No, there's nothing in that. Junior Brown has been doing terrifically well so it's not a position we're looking to try to strengthen."
