Shrewsbury Town get winnable home opener and November Ainsworth reunion
Shrewsbury Town will kick off their League Two campaign with a home clash against Bromley.
The London-based side, coached by Andy Woodman finished 11th in the fourth tier last season and they will make the trip to the Croud Meadow on the opening day of the season.
First up on the road for Michael Appleton’s men is a trip to Tranmere Rovers - a side that finished 20th last season.
Salop club legend Shaun Whalley will return to Shropshire within the first month of the season. He signed a new one-year contract with Accrington Stanley at the end of the last campaign.
The 37-year-old and his side will make the trip to the Croud Meadow on August 30.
Given what happened last year the first game most Shrewsbury fans will look for is against Gillingham.
Former manager Gareth Ainsworth was in charge of Shrewsbury from the middle of November to the end of March.
But with Town staring down the barrel of relegation he jumped ship and signed a contract with League Two Gills making him very unpopular among the Town fans.
Ainsworth will return to the Croud Meadow on Saturday, November 29 and he is sure to get a hostile reception from the home fans.
With no cross-border derby against Wrexham this season the closest thing Town have is a clash against Walsall. They make the trip to Bescot on December 13 to take on Mat Sadler’s men. The reverse fixture against the Saddlers is not until February 28.
Just like they did two years ago, Shrewsbury will make the trip to Cheltenham on Boxing Day. Matt Taylor’s side lost 2-0 there thanks to a brace from George Lloyd - that will be the first time he returns to the club he left to join Town.
Last season Town won their Boxing Day clash with a 1-0 victory over Lincoln and they went unbeaten over the festive period with draws against Northampton and Blackpool.
After the game against the Robins, they will make the long trip to Grimsby Town on December 29 before having a home clash against fellow relegated side Bristol Rovers on New Year’s Day.
Easter for Shrewsbury will see Shrews welcome Tranmere Rovers on Good Friday before the return fixture against Bromley on Easter Monday.
Town had their final game of the League One campaign at home last season. This time they will make the trip to Ainsworth’s Gillingham in a mouth-watering final-day clash where there could be so much to play for.
Appleton’s side could go almost a month without playing a league home match from the middle of October to the middle of November.
They will take on Crawley at home on October 18 before making the trip to Oldham on October 25. The league then breaks for Carabao Cup fourth round and the first round of the FA Cup.
Town are then back in league action on November 8 with a trip to Crewe before Newport visit the Croud Meadow on November 15.
