Home comforts will boost Shrewsbury Town

Following last summer’s £1million-plus outlay on the new Sundorne Castle training ground, Town have now completed an impressive revamp the home dressing room at Montgomery Waters Meadow.

John Askey’s players first used the new-look facilities before the recent 2-0 home victory over Southend and were mightily impressed by the modernised, high-spec makeover.

As well as being upgraded, the home dressing room at the Meadow has been moved. It has switched location with the gym facility next door.

Town chief executive Brian Caldwell said the plans to revamp the dressing were dated back to Micky Mellon’s period in charge.

Filan stressed that the improvements behind the scene can make the difference on the pitch.

He said: “The club have moved the dressing room and improved it.

“It just shows the desire of the football club, the chairman and everyone involved to give the players as much support as they can.

“These little things make a difference. The players came into the dressing room and were impressed with the set-up.

“It makes it easier, the way it’s been put out. It’s an excellent improvement to our working environment and the players’, which we appreciate.

“Everyone’s trying to do the best they can for the players and they have to produce on the pitch.”

Long-term club architect Peter Curtis came up with the design and it was fitted by Shrewsbury company Truewood Joinery & Shopfitters.

“I’m not a dressing room expert. It’s better, a lot better,” added Filan.

“Not that the last one was poor, it was adequate. It’s been taken up a level, it’s more luxurious for the players.

“It gives them all the elements they need to perform on the pitch, that’s the point, to give players what they need to perform well and no more or less.”

Caldwell said: “We have been looking at the changing room for a while now and I previously had discussions with Micky Mellon and Paul Hurst about relocating the dressing room to the gym which in my opinion was always a bigger and better shaped area.

“It never made any sense to me that the home changing room was the same size and spec as the away, whereas when we play away from home invariably the away one is smaller.

“After speaking to all the football staff in relation to the specification we are absolutely delighted with the new look changing room. We had an extremely positive reaction from the football staff including the players and hopefully it helped for its first use in the win against Southend.

“Within the changing room it has 22 individual changing units for the players, each with a power point and USB point, we have two water fridges in the centre of the room kindly provided by stadium sponsor Montgomery Waters and with the LED lighting at each changing place it really looks the part.

“We are most grateful to the architect Peter Curtis who designed the changing room as well as local contractors Truewood Joinery & Shopfitters for their craftsmanship.

“Hopefully the new high-spec changing room will motivate the players in the years to come.”