Seven to go – can Shrewsbury get over the line?

Graham Turner’s side won five, drew one and lost one from their final seven outings to secure title glory. It is important to remember, almost four decades ago, clubs were earning two points for a win – three was to be introduced three years later in 1981.

Plenty of parallels have been drawn between Paul Hurst’s side, defying the odds at the top of League One, and Turner’s Division Three title heroes.

There is no guarantee that 16 points will do the job for Hurst’s side as they battle for one of the two automatic promotion spots against the might of Wigan and Blackburn.

The club’s history book ‘Breathe on ‘Em Salop’, by historian Mike Jones, said the Town legends of ‘79 were initially branded ‘no hopers United’ after a summer of no new faces meant the side that finished in 11th place the season before were hardly optimistic.

Then came the embarrassment of a 2-1 defeat against Oswestry Town in a Shropshire Senior Cup semi-final.

Richie Barker had been in charge since February 1977. His aim was to set a team up to ensure that if they scored, they won. Sound familiar? Hurst’s class of 2018 have won 18 league games by one goal – four more than any other side in the Football League.

Barker’s no hopers, unable to beat Oswestry, lost just once in the first 10 Division Three games. Winning seven, drawing two. By the time the boss left to become John Barnwell’s No.2 at Wolves he had lost just seven league matches in 34 with Town.

Step forward centre-half Turner, who had just turned 31.

The Gay Meadow side were tearing up trees in the FA Cup. A run that captured the town’s imagination took Shrewsbury all the way to a sixth-round replay at Molineux.

Better still was the league form. Town were second with 15 games to go. But after the cup exit came a 5-0 trouncing at Blackpool.

Shrewsbury were fourth with games in hand ahead of an exciting run-in. Here are how the magnificent seven played out as Town claimed the title.

Shrewsbury 2-1 Tranmere, April 24.

Trevor Birch, who had only joined from Liverpool a month before, was in for the absent Sammy Chapman and netted for Town in the second period. Paul Maguire scored a second to see off Rovers, who finished second-bottom and were relegated.

Gillingham 2-0 Shrewsbury, April 28.

A boisterous crowd of 14,902 celebrated wildly after condemning Town to their sixth and final league defeat of the season. The Gills thought they had secured a first-ever promotion. They would eventually finish fourth – one position and point off promotion.

Lincoln 1-2 Shrewsbury, May 2.

A cagey win at City, who Town face at Wembley next weekend, was one for the purists. Only 1,677 saw Jake King and Maguire edge beyond the side that finished rock-bottom.

Shrewsbury 1-0 Bury. May 5.

As Barker wanted. One goal was enough for the winner. It came through striker Steve Biggins in the second period. They stayed on track.

Mansfield 2-2 Shrewsbury, May 7.

A nervy draw at Field Mill, where Town were behind at the break, was salvaged through goals by Biggins and Maguire to set up two Gay Meadow clashes to finish the season.

Shrewsbury 3-1 Rotherham. May 10.

Back-to-back Thursdays remained and 8,450 watched Turner’s men. Ever-reliable full-back King netted as the sides were level at 1-1 at half-time before Dave Tong and Maguire secured the points.

Shrewsbury 4-1 Exeter, May 17.

‘The Shrewsbury corner’ edged Town ahead. Maguire corner, Jack Keay’s flick on and there was King to bravely head in for one-nil after two minutes. Exeter had not read the script and equalised. But two minutes later King had a second through the trusty method. Ian Atkins’ penalty and Tong’s late finish had champagne bottles popping and 14,441 supporters delirious.