Shrewsbury v Reading preview: Pride is all that is at stake for Salop

Salop are rock bottom of the League One table with half a dozen league matches still to play - they are six points away from their nearest rivals - and they are 13 points from third tier safety. 

It has been a thoroughly miserable campaign for Shrewsbury and their fans, and everyone is waiting for relegation to be confirmed. 

That will not come with defeat to Reading. Bristol Rovers, the team currently in 20th place, are the only team Town could still catch if they lose in Shropshire this evening - they are not playing tonight. 

Funso Ojo was on press duties before the clash against Cambridge on Saturday and he said that everyone still has something to play for. 

Michael Appleton is trying to prove he deserves a chance to be in the Town dugout for their League Two campaign next year. 

The boss was appointed on a temporary basis until the end of the season giving him nine chances to put his stamp on this Salop team - if he can do that, and maybe pick up some results along the way he will be in the box seat. 

Shrewsbury have 13 players under contract for the 2025/26 campaign, so those players will want to prove they are worth keeping in Shropshire for next season. 

The rest? Well some are out of contract this summer, so they will be fighting to earn new terms at the Croud Meadow, or wanting to play well enough to earn themselves a deal elsewhere. 

The loanees won’t want their performance levels to drop either - as they will return to their parent clubs with momentum. 

In the early stages of Appleton’s reign we have seen Town approach the game with a different playing style. They are trying to keep the ball more, and play football, even though it led to their downfall at the weekend in the 1-0 defeat to Cambridge. 

Appleton says it is imperative they play in that way if they are to develop players and to produce players they can then sell on. 

Reading, who have their own off-field problems, are defying their issues away from the football pitch and they are pushing for a play-off spot. 

They are one point off sixth-placed Bolton Wanderers. It is between those two and Huddersfield it seems for the final play-off spot. 

The game earlier in the year, which ended in a 1-1 draw, was part of Salop’s mini renaissance under Gareth Ainsworth. Their form since then has seen them lose eight matches and draw two. Town have not won since the clash at Rotherham at the start of February. 

Harrison Biggins and Vadaine Oliver are unlikely to feature anytime soon. Biggins has not played since Ainsworth’s last game in charge and Oliver damaged his ankle in the draw at Wycombe last week. 

Town are not expecting to have either of the two players back anytime soon.