Steve Cotterill: Aaron Pierre is nearing peak fitness for Shrewsbury Town

Giant stopper Pierre, 28, has found himself having to play catch-up to the rest of his Shrewsbury team-mates after missing around a month of Town pre-season training due to international commitments.

Cotterill made no secret that Pierre and Grenada colleague Ollie Norburn – who has since departed for Peterborough – were well behind on base fitness upon their return. Pierre was substituted off on the opening day against Burton and has been building up his levels ever since. He was given Tuesday’s Papa John’s Trophy tie off after training instead.

“I think he’s done very well, really, really well. I’m really pleased with him,” Cotterill said of Pierre. “The numbers he’s got, the speed he’s got, all the tests – body fats – everything.

“It was not his fault, he ended up being out of shape in pre-season. He went on two trips, with a lot more travelling, and missed a chunk of pre-season, that was the big thing.

“When bigger guys end up missing a game or not, it always takes them some time to get back into their stride, because they’re a big old unit to get around the pitch – and he is a big old unit, he’s a big boy Aaron Pierre, a great kid, I love him to death.

“But he needed to go through what he has been going through. The other night was an opportunity getting base into him, a lot of his runs are 50m bursts, the trouble is if you haven’t done a lot of pre-season work, five of those 50m bursts takes it out of you.

“You can see it, last Saturday, he’s better for the training.

Pierre and fellow central defenders Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Matt Pennington all started together in the 1-0 defeat at Accrington. But that has been a rarity this term due to fitness, Covid and suspension.

“They are all key back there (in defence),” the boss added. “We didn’t have Aaron for a good few months last year as well with that calf injury.

“Aaron Pierre needs to up here (high) fitness level-wise. When you’re a big lad and not up there, and have had injuries, he will not be at the fitness levels you want, and then because he’s heavier he ends up hurting the other calf.

“When he’s fit I think he’s incredible, you wouldn’t want to play against him. And he suits us, he suits our team.”