Milestones for Town boss Micky Mellon

The Town boss reached his century milestone with last Saturday's 2-2 draw at home to Scunthorpe.

In his 100 games, Mellon has racked up 49 wins. In football management, a 49 per cent success record is impressive, though not quite as emphatic as his stats at Fleetwood – 51.56 per cent.

But it compares favourably to peers such as Dean Smith, whose ratio of victories at Walsall was 32.57 per cent, Keith Hill at Rochdale (43.45 per cent) and Phil Brown at Southend (41.94 per cent).

Contrary to his tinkerman tag, he has only used 47 players in those 100 games, including 22 this season.

Now as he prepares to kick off his second century of games with Salop, the ambitious Scot is looking to continue as he started – on an unbeaten streak.

After being appointed on 12 May 2014, he not only rebuilt a squad but gelled them together to the extent where they started last season in League Two with a seven-match unbeaten run.

That's the same record as they are on now, although two of those games were in the Capital One Cup, when they beat Blackpool and Leicester.

It is somehow fitting that cup wins feature early on in Mellon's reign, as they have been a regular and exciting staple to punctuate his 22-month tenure.

There have been 18 cup-ties in the last two seasons, including 10 this campaign.

Perhaps not surprisingly, his win record in the cups is slightly better than in the league – exactly 50 per cent, after winning nine of them.

You only need to mention the words Chelsea and Manchester United to realise what romance can be created by these cup runs and how much those they have meant to people.

But it would be wrong to suggest Mellon's success has been confined to the cups after his impressive feat of winning promotion at the first time of asking.

Shrewsbury appear to be ramping up to finish with a flourish – and if history under him is to repeat itself, they can continue their recent improved run.

Twelve months ago, Town reeled off six straight wins – with five successive clean sheets – and eight victories in nine to cement automatic promotion back to League One.

Town clinched a club record for shutouts by Jayson Leutwiler and boasted the best home return of any team in the four divisions (57 points).

But the highlights haven't been restricted to last season. The fans who travelled to Bramall Lane in October were treated to a never-to-be-forgotten night as Town ripped Sheffield United apart.

Their form at the Meadow this season has been more of a source of grind rather than glee.

But the spectacular second-half comeback win over Colchester and the convincing overcoming of Bury, plus the recent convincing performances against Coventry and Rochdale, suggested they have thrown the monkey off their backs.

And, as they prepare to kick off Mellon's second century of games at Bury, another possible omen is that away form.

One defeat in 11 trips in all competitions suggest the Scot can look forward to that 50th win sooner rather than later.