Shrewsbury's Sam Ricketts is ready to take Checkatrade Trophy seriously
Sam Ricketts will convince his players that the Checkatrade Trophy is a competition worth winning.
The Shrewsbury manager lifted the trophy as a Swansea player in 2006 as Kenny Jackett’s side beat Carlisle in front of more than 42,000 fans at the Millennium Stadium.
Town continue their attempt to reach successive finals at Vale Park tonight where they tackle Port Vale in a last-16 clash.
“I won this as a player so it’s something that I do take seriously and I would like to again,” said the Shrewsbury boss, who is weighing up whther to make wholesale changes or just a handful. “We wanted to win that game.
“You talk now to players who were there, Roberto Martinez lifting the cup, Garry Monk, myself, Lee Trundle, we would all still talk about that game fondly.
“We got to the League One play-off final, same as Shrewsbury last year actually, we won what is now the Checkatrade but lost the play-off final.”
The boss added: “It does come around quick. At what point do you put more focus on it than you would do earlier in the rounds?
“Earlier in the rounds everyone rotates their squad. Three games away, it’s a tough game.
“Then you’re two games from Wembley and everyone’s ears start pricking up a little bit more.
“It’s a competition the club have taken seriously, last year and this year again. It can culminate in a very good day out made better when you win.”
Football League Trophy success in the 2005/06 season was one of a number of honours won by Ricketts, including League Two promotion the season before, Championship play-off promotion with Hull and the League One title with Wolves.
