Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury Town v West Ham: Paul Hurst relishing underdog tag

Shrewsbury Town are aiming to write themselves into club folklore with an FA Cup giant-killing tomorrow as former player David Moyes brings his West Ham side to the Meadow.

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Paul Hurst’s side have proved fans, punters and neutrals wrong all season by defying the odds and flying high at the top of League One.

The boss admits that being the underdog served him well in his 500-game playing career and that the mantra can bring more success.

“I don’t mind that (being the underdog), I’ve got to be honest,” admitted the former Grimsby chief.

“I don’t know if that’s come from being 5ft 5in and having a career in football.

“I was a left winger as a youth team player and I ended up having a career as a left-back.

“And that’s more surprising, being a defender of that size. As a winger, you might get away with it a little bit more.

“In one of my first games for Rotherham, ironically against Shrewsbury, we got beat 3-0 at home and it was ‘that Hurst is rubbish, he’s far too small and he’ll never have a career’.

“The mantra that I go by is I like to prove people wrong, it’s been the same as a manager.”

Victories in one of Town’s greatest Cup runs, to the sixth round in 1979, were secured on muddy pitches and in run-down settings.

But with the fine Meadow surface suitable for a pleasing-on-the-eye footballing style, Hurst wants his men to earn the right to win.

“They (the TV cameras) are fully aware there’s a chance of an upset,” added Hurst.

“We want to make it an uncomfortable in comfortable surroundings. That’s the difference in years gone by.

“They won’t find a terrible pitch, dressing rooms that are red hot and painted brown and black, if we beat them I’d like us to have earned it on the day.

"We know that’s a massive task whatever team they put out.”