'I feel like I have 10 arms' - Gavin Cowan thriving in full-time football at Shrewsbury Town
Gavin Cowan has loved the step up to the Football League at Shrewsbury Town - feeling like he has “10 arms”.
His head coach role at Salop marks his first job in full‑time football, and it has certainly been a strong start, leading Town well clear of the League Two relegation zone.
After the victory over Chesterfield, no side in the top four divisions of English football had earned more points since Cowan’s arrival, and he is relishing life in a full‑time environment.
“Yes, good," he reflected. “There's a lot of similarities. Obviously, there's a lot of changes.
“This is all consuming. So being around here all day, every day definitely has its pluses.
“I feel like almost like I've got 10 arms compared to having my arms tied behind my back before.
“That's no slight on Brackley. It's an amazing club, an amazing environment, such a brilliant place for me to work - and obviously, we had a lot of success.
“It feels good, but it's all consuming, it wasn't before. But in terms of contact time with the players now, it's not just the training. It's obviously the preparation, the post-match stuff.
“It's obviously dealing with players, understanding them, what their needs are individually, collectively, and even sometimes in small groups.
“So it's all consuming. But me and the staff have really took to it well. And we were prepared for it.”
Cowan now has the chance to better Graham Turner’s record of six wins from his first 10 league games in charge when Town face Cheltenham on Saturday.
Victory at Chesterfield was Salop’s sixth in seven matches and their third consecutive away win - and Cowan was delighted to send the fans home happy.
“I am really proud and privileged,” he added. “God willing we can continue to do it. There's finer details that we've implemented. No slight on the previous regime, this is football sometimes.
“We've just come in, sometimes it doesn't work with a certain regime. We have come in and implemented - and it just suits the players a little bit more.
“We're just trying to be player-focused, player-centred. Make sure that we give them no excuse to go out onto the pitch and be the best version of themselves.
“That's my job, really. If I can give them every reason to go out there and put their best foot forward, I'm doing my job. Then in-game we try and contribute as much as we can.
“But we have to rely on their trust and their abilities.”
