Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury Town trio racing to be fit for Saturday's opener with Burton Albion

Steve Cotterill is hopeful Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Aaron Pierre and Ollie Norburn will be fit for Saturday's visit of Burton but admits there are fitness concerns with the Shrewsbury trio.

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Centre-half duo Ebanks-Landell and Pierre and midfielder Norburn all missed last weekend's final friendly at Exeter and face a race to start at home against the Brewers.

Ex-Wolves man Ebanks-Landell has endured a stop-start pre-season due to a hip concern. Fellow stopper Pierre, who alongside Norburn spent a month in the US with Grenada, also missed last weekend's friendly for a small fitness concern.

Norbun spent a period of the last fortnight ill with a chest infection and it remains to be seen whether any of the trio will make Cotterill's starting XI on the fans' return to Montgomery Waters Meadow.

"A lot of weeks we've had have been fitness weeks, and trying to blend in new players with those who were here," Cotterill said.

"There are a couple of people behind a little bit with fitness levels in where we want to gauge everybody but that's down to a few knocks with Ethan and Aaron, and Ollie being away.

"But other than that it's been an incredible effort from everybody.

"There's potential issues, we will monitor them a bit more as time goes on nearer to the game, but we've done our preparation for those who are available to do enough in the game. The others will be either on the bench or not.

"I'm hoping the whole set we've got at the moment are going to be available for the weekend, not just those three lads. There are different circumstances with the three and things to take into consideration."