Stefan Payne grateful for Paul Hurst's Shrewsbury Town influence

The seven-goal hitman has regularly found the net in blue and amber after joining Town permanently in the summer following his loan stint last season.

Ex-non-league man Payne, who enjoyed fruitful days with Hornchurch and Dover earlier in his career, has shared the lone front role with Carlton Morris for Hurst's men this term.

He revealed that his attitude had previously been called into question by managers at a lower level, but Hurst was helping him portray a strong will to win.

"Some people look at you, not just me personally, but other players around," said the striker. "They try and put you down and say whatever.

"It's just for the player to prove them wrong and look what I'm doing now, hopefully I'm doing that.

"I remember being at Hornchurch one time and I could've got a move in January but they look at you and think 'no, I don't want to touch him'.

"I think it's my passion. I want to win. I don't have a bad attitude. It's about winning game in, game out."

Payne has started from the bench in the previous two games with summer additions Morris and Lenell John-Lewis proving useful options for the Shrewsbury chief.

He added: "I've always backed myself, when I'm playing, to score goals and it's nice to have a manager give you an opportunity to show I'm not just talking about it, I'm doing it as well.

"It's great coming here every day. The morale is high, the banter is very high with the coaches, as well as that you can see we are working very hard.

"You've got to get that right balance to banter and then switch it off when you're training and playing."

Payne, 26, is on the track to hit his pre-Christmas goal target of 10, while he eyes another 10 between January and May.

"You have a target in your head, as long as we keep winning I'm not bothered," he said.

"It's a lot more than seven! We'll keep going and see what happens – but if you can score more than 20 then so be it."