Shrewsbury v Charlton: Paul Hurst not fazed by biggest games of his management career ahead of League One play-offs
Shrewsbury chief Paul Hurst is not fazed despite calling the League One play-off double header against Charlton the biggest games in his management career.
Hurst is preparing for play-off battle for the seventh time in 10 years as a manager as Town face a trip to the Addicks on Thursday before welcoming the ex-Premier League outfit next Sunday.
The Town boss has enjoyed play-off success with Ilkeston Town, Boston United and Grimsby Town and is aiming to make it a quartet of clubs leading Shrewsbury to an improbable and remarkable promotion to the second tier for the first time in 29 years.
The boss said: "In some ways I guess for me it is the biggest game, in terms of the highest level.
"At the same time – it's a bit sad – but I was looking at my managerial years and it'll be seven times involved in the play-offs in 10 seasons.
"I left a club that went into the play-offs when I first left for Grimsby, I'm sure we'd have seen that job through in terms of getting in the play-offs.
"And the one season that I came here, we were one place outside it. In terms of being in the right end of the leagues, being ready for big games and all that, I don't mean it in a big-headed way but it doesn't faze me at all.
"I know what we need to try and do. The issue you've got is another team knowing what they want too."
Hurst's side, whose side have won just once in seven games in all competitions, finished 16 points clear of sixth-placed Charlton in League One. They won 25 games to the Addicks' 20.
But the Town boss has repeated that all counts for nothing going into the semi-final ties. He insists that his players need a positive mindset to have a shot at success.
And Hurst believes his side have a good chance of progressing beyond Lee Bowyer's men to a Wembley showpiece.
"We'll prepare the best we can and make sure we go in with a positive mindset, that's the important thing," he said.
"Believing that we can win over the two games. I honestly think we can.
"I can be the other way, saying we've got no chance. I believe we've got a chance. I hope the players really believe that and do their upmost to get to another Wembley game.
"If we did that then hopefully we'd perform better."
