Comment: John Askey arriving at Shrewsbury Town on back of promotion

Already a legend for his almost unheard-of longevity with Cheshire club Macclesfield, Askey gave his three decade connection with the Silkmen a stunning finale by lifting them back in the Football League after a six year sabbatical.

A 34-year spell with any club is something pretty uncommon. But the 53-year-old still did not have to think twice when the opportunity to move to Montgomery Waters Meadow came up.

Macclesfield were, as Askey admitted, supposed to relegated – if you league tables were ordered finance. Week on week the Silkmen were destined to fail, to tail off, to crumble under the pressure.

Sound familiar?

The new Salop chief sees obvious parallels between his achievement last term and that of Paul Hurst with Shrewsbury. In fact, by his own admission, Askey was a doubter of his future employers.

He said: “I can remember looking at Shrewsbury’s results thinking ‘it’s just a matter of time before they fall away’.

“But they kept it going and going and perhaps if they just had a little bit more they’d have done the unthinkable.”

A three-year deal agreed for Askey is a signal of trust, belief and security. It should also help with continuity.

The former forward felt like his job at Macclesfield was done. It was not any old job either, it was an effort akin to Shrewsbury achieving the League One play-offs.

With the fifth-lowest budget in the National League, Askey’s hard-working troops stormed towards an emphatic title.

With pittance to spend, he build a squad on togetherness, spirit and a sprinkling of quality. After guiding the Silkmen back to the Football League in April, he said: “If you said five years ago we’d still have a football club I’d be surprised, so to get through all of that is great.”

Askey is big on work-rate. Both on matchday and throughout the week. He also said he is a keen encourager of players. He feels that is the way they perform to their maximum. He wants the same from fans.

His Macclesfield side didn’t catch jitters after the turn of the year. Instead they finished non-league’s top tier with just one defeat in 16 games – including 11 wins.

Town’s new boss admitted at his unveiling yesterday that it was a challenge for his old club – and himself – to keep their nerve as the finish line approached.

Askey came across very well in his first meeting with the press at the Meadow yesterday.

He came across level-headed, wise, reserved but, for a 50-something year-old with more than three decades in football – he was excited.

This is all new for Askey, who played for Macclesfield between 1984 and 2003, had a brief spell as boss between 2003 and 2004 then was a youth team boss until taking the reins in 2013. He never left.

He showed a light side too, and described himself as ‘affable.’ As his phone rang mid-press conference he joked ‘it’s Messi’.

It might not have been the Barcelona stalwart but this ex-Macclesfield stalwart means business. His phone will, unquestionably, be swamped with eager players keen to join the Salop ranks.

He was targeted because, as well as his stunning achievement in a division progressively awash with cash, he fit the bill that worked so well last time.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Hurst’s achievements were staggering and his appointment was undoubtedly a glorious success. While he left for Ipswich under a cloud and somewhat tarnished, his superb work increased Town’s stock.

It meant more of an interest in the attractive proposition but the potential of bringing someone in who mimics Hurst’s ethos and persona was too good for Roland Wycherley and Brian Caldwell to turn down.

But too many comparisons are unfair on the new man.

Each manager is different and, as Caldwell says, this is a new era.

To expect Askey to mirror Hurst’s miracle from last season is simply unrealistic. To hope that Town look a competitive squad, capable of comfortably avoiding the drop and push the top half is closer to what Shrewsbury will look to.

He might not be bringing in Messi or manage the football of peak Barcelona, but Askey knows how to win football matches, and that bodes well.