Sam Ricketts targets a seamless transition into Shrewsbury Town

Ricketts, who takes charge of his first Shrewsbury game against Walsall in the Checkatrade Trophy tonight, is wary of unsettling Town’s recent winning form.

The former Wales international inherits a side who have won five from six under goalkeeping coach Danny Coyne and academy manager Eric Ramsay.

To help retain the winning formula, Ricketts will keep the highly-respected duo within his first-team coaching staff.

“I am not going to come in and rip everything apart,” said Ricketts. “The players are in a very good place. We will evolve, but that is where we are at and that is the nature of football.

“I know Danny, we played together for Wales. I know Eric because he was on my coaching courses as well. I know them both and that was a big part of me coming here. I knew exactly what I was walking into.

“I know that they are good people will similar values to myself both on and off the pitch.

“Things will carry on as they were. I will have my own ideas, but I will be working with them both. It will be seamless.

“I will always push to improve – that is my personality. No matter how well you have done, there will always be something to improve on.

“Players need clarity with these things and that is what we will try to do.”

Ricketts, 37, is a manager who many consider to be on an upward trajectory in the game – and the former Wolves man has his sights set on the prize that Paul Hurst’s team fell just short of last season.

“The Championship has to be our aim. I have not come in here to be mid-table and achieve mediocrity. I have come here to be successful and success for me is being at the top end of the table,” added Ricketts, who met the local media for the first time yesterday.

“Is that going to be easy? No. Nothing is easy.

“We try and do everything we can. Every single percentage. Fitness, rehab, weights, nutrition, facilities – do any of those things win you a game on Saturday? No. But, by the end of the season they will all add up.”