Paul Hurst calls for patience as Shrewsbury Town prepare for January transfer window

The Shrews manager has been busy drafting lists of targets to bolster his ranks in the New Year as Town search for the players to aid their League One safety push.

Hurst, who is in uncharted territory having previously been in handsome league positions with Grimsby Town in recent winter windows, admits that targets can change and that Town are looking at character, not just ability.

He said: "I think it will be busy. How quickly we get things done will remain to be seen.

"Ideally it would be great if on New Year's Day we could roll out all of the new signings, but that won't happen. We will have to be patient and wait.

"But a lot of names don't match up to where we are pitching.

"This is the real world where people and situations change. We need some athleticism and pace injecting into us but this is not a 'Football Manager' game where it's easy.

"I'm not naive, we are bottom of the league. No matter what the results are in the next few games we are in a relegation battle.

"We want people to come here and fight for us, I want them to be ready for any challenge and that takes character.

"There is an element of uncertainty due to the position we are in. It is a tough market in January."

Hurst admitted that one target picked up an injury two weekends ago to rule him out of the reckoning, while there remains uncertainty over some of the club's current loanees – including George Waring and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

Town, who are within goal difference of climbing out of the drop zone after previously being five points adrift, had to include two scholarship youngsters on their bench last weekend against Bristol Rovers.

"We have multiple lists of targets but it's still a couple of weeks where something could happen with injury at a club meaning someone is not available," added Hurst. "We cannot panic and just think 'oh he will do' and then he brings nothing to the football pitch."