Chris Doig won't be pleased if Shrewsbury Town don't move into new base next Friday
Shrewsbury No.2 Chris Doig is expecting to move into Town’s Sundorne Castle training ground next Friday and will be disappointed if the site is not ready.
Paul Hurst’s squad is to meet up for pre-season training a week tomorrow and Town’s management are expecting to begin training at the newly-built complex in Sundorne.
Following a week’s worth of training after their near-two month summer break, the players will then head out for a warm weather training camp in Portugal in the first week of July. They then tackle five friendlies – including Championship sides Villa, Wolves, Burton and Cardiff – throughout July before League One gets under way in August.
Doig and the Town staff are expecting the new base, which will allow players to spend their training week away from Greenhous Meadow, to be functional for next Friday.
“It’s slowly coming together,” said Hurst’s assistant.
“Hopefully it’s coming together because we’re starting in just over a week now. I’m expecting to be there for the first day of pre-season.
“I’ll be honest, I’ll be disappointed if I’m not. We’ll see.”
The base, an initial £200,000 investment, is expected to prove an attractive proposition to potential new signings with plenty of business still expected to be conducted by Hurst this summer.
And ideally the club want the feel of being around the stadium to be more unique for match days in a hope that it helps players raise their game, rather than being overly-familiar with their surroundings.
“They’re working hard up there now to try and get things done,” Doig added. “Once it gets done it’ll be a fantastic base for us and a big improvement for the football club.
“A much-needed improvement for the football club if I’m being honest. It gets all the lads together under one place, gives them a chance to do a lot more work on the pitch and bond together as well.
“I’m looking forward to it being completed.
“It’s our base really. That’s the selfish way to look at it.
“I think it’s important to create the right environment. For where we are that’s the environment Shrewsbury Town should have.”
The base will contain three 11-a-side pitches for Town to train on as well as a new purpose-built hub including a gym, restaurant and offices.
