Shropshire Star

Paul Hurst wants his tough guys tag for his Shrewsbury Town squad

Paul Hurst wants Shrewsbury Town to adopt a similar tough-guy reputation to that of AFC Wimbledon.

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Tomorrow's hosts carry a physical tag dating back to Bobby Gould's crazy gang and the current AFC Wimbledon side have enjoyed a dramatic rise through non-league in recent years.

But Hurst, while doubtful of the sentiments that Wimbledon are rougher than many of Town's other League One rivals, encourages a physical approach and wants his side to be renowned for mastering the dark arts.

Town were noted for their high-octane approach in pre-season, where Aston Villa and Wolves were out-fought by Hurst's side, while Burton's Marvin Sordell was sent off at Montgomery Waters Meadow for a horror challenge in another feisty affair.

"I think it would be fair to say that Nottingham Forest play slightly more football than Wimbledon," said Hurst, whose side head to Wimbledon's Cherry Red Records stadium tomorrow.

"But at the same time, from what I've seen, i don't think they're any more physical than ourselves.

"I feel they have a couple of players that are certainly threats from set-plays.

"But I think we're almost talking about it like it's a criticism and it's certainly not.

"I want people to talk about us being physical. I don't mind that at all."

Hurst and his deputy Chris Doig see matching their opponents physically as competing and physio Chris Skitt has been working on bulking Town's squad up all summer.

Town are more fluid with the ball this season than in recent years but the boss remains fiercer than ever than his side will be able to mix it up.

"In pre-season there may have been a couple of teams that said we are physical," Hurst said. "Nothing overly physical but wanting to compete.

"Chris (Doig) spoke after the game and we said that if a game's a fight then we want to be able to do that.

"If it's a game of football we want to be able to compete in that side as well.

"If you can do both things than you give yourselves a bigger chance at winning games."

Meanwhile, Hurst confirmed that there is still no interest in out-of-favour pair Ryan McGivern and AJ Leitch-Smith.

The ex-Port Vale duo have not been training with the first-team and Hurst is keen to shift them on before the transfer window closes on August 31.