Paul Hurst is making the most of good times

Gillingham chief Ady Pennock and Oldham boss John Sheridan both departed within moments of each other with their respective clubs struggling at the bottom of League One, writes Lewis Cox.

Football management is a tough industry and, despite success at previous club Grimsby, Hurst regularly felt his head was on the chopping block.

The same can’t be said for his 11 months at Shrewsbury. He takes his table-topping side to Doncaster Rovers tonight as the only unbeaten side remaining in the Football League.

Some transition from being rock-bottom and buried last October.

Hurst is determined to try and enjoy the ride, as difficult as it proves, in the ultimate test of real-life survival.

He said: “It’s a tough industry. That’s why I’ve got to try and enjoy how we’re currently doing because it can change very quickly.

“I’m doing a coaching course and they talk about it just being ‘survival’. That can certainly enter your thoughts.

“Not so much here because things have gone well and are going well, but in my previous job it seemed if you lost a couple of games your head was on the block.

“It was a pressure job, expectations were you won every week because you were playing teams that fans had never heard of.

“You don’t get much time to think about performances too much, particularly when it’s Saturday-Tuesday matches.

“It’s hard to get down time, but you have to do that. That was what we were talking about when I went to St George’s Park last week, trying to switch off. It’s a lot easier said than done.

“I’ve pitted my wits against Ady before at Forest Green, he’s a good guy and we get on pretty well.

“It’d been a difficult start but they’re not a team with the biggest of budgets. Last season Shez went in and saved them (Oldham), again. Fans were really happy.”

Managers put in phenomenal levels of time and commitment to stay alive in the survival of the fittest. For Hurst, one of the sacrifices has been time at home.

He enjoyed a ‘mock-up birthday’ on Sunday with his family, including taking in the Steel City derby on TV, which did little to provide birthday spirit as his Wednesday side suffered a home defeat.

Working away for much of each week can’t be easy when it is away from a young family. But, as Hurst states, the only option is to ‘throw yourself in’.

“You adapt to situations,” he added. “I still feel I see quite a bit of them – my wife’s probably happy she doesn’t see me at times.

“It’s been fine, I’ve certainly coped with it. It’s probably harder for them than myself.

“You throw yourself into the job and get caught up in it. But it’s important to remember you have another life.

“In anything you have to put time and effort in, then hopefully you get the rewards.”

Fortunately, a trip to the Keepmoat Stadium will act as a home match for Yorkshireman Hurst, whose family reside in north Derbyshire.

Mrs Hurst will have her fingers crossed for three points – you get the impression that only the maximum spoils will make it a happy Hurst household.