Paul Hurst delighted at Stefan Payne's impact at Shrewsbury Town
Paul Hurst was thrilled to see his latest signing come up trumps as Stefan Payne fired the winner eight minutes into his second Shrewsbury Town debut.
Payne, signed on Friday, scored the final goal in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Rochdale to maintain Town’s 100 per cent League One record and send Hurst scampering down the touchline in glee.
The striker, who spent time on loan at Town last season, is Hurst’s 12th new addition in a busy summer and the boss revealed the hard work in securing the ex-Barnsley man’s signature poured out after his 75th-minute winner at Montgomery Waters Meadow.
“It was bringing Stef in,” Hurst admitted on his passionate celebrations. “We worked hard to do that.
“We kept an eye on him and I’m thankful to the chairman on backing me and getting it done.
“It was kind of one that was always in the background, but with bringing other players in, you weren’t sure whether it would happen or if it had gone a bit above and beyond.”
Payne joins Carlton Morris – who also got off the mark against Rochdale – Lenell John-Lewis and Niall Ennis as Shrewsbury’s natural striking options.
Hurst added: “I’ve given myself more headaches, looking at the bench, there was young Niall who’s done well with the bits of football he’s had and looked sharp on the training ground. I just didn’t think it was the right time for him.
“I’m asking the players to buy into being a squad. Along the way I’ll probably have one or two that get a little bit too upset.
“But in a lot of ways it’s easy to justify selections if you win games as a manager.”
Town made it three wins at the beginning of a league campaign for only the third time in their post-war history following the 1958/59 and 2008/09 seasons – where Town were in the fourth tier on both occasions.
But Hurst isn’t one for history books: “They don’t mean much to me, not really.
“Without being blasé about it, I’ll let the statisticians look at that side. I’m just happy to go home and not be too grumpy.”
